


The Dark I Know Well

by Anonymous



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti)
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Serial Killers, Dark, Don't Like Don't Read, Extremely Underage, Fucked Up, M/M, Manipulation, Mental Coercion, Murder, Murder Family, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Parent/Child Incest, Possessive Behavior, Really dark, Serial Killers, Underage Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-12
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:27:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 25
Words: 61,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22676359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: ~Very strong and dark themes. Read at your own risk.~Richie meets Eddie on the first day of elementary school. He falls in love; it's all very standard. Aside from the bodies in the basement and the blood on his lips.From the moment Richie met Eddie he wanted him. And what a Tozier wanted, a Tozier got.
Relationships: Eddie Kaspbrak/Maggie Tozier, Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier, Eddie Kaspbrak/Wentworth Tozier, Maggie Tozier/Richie Tozier, Richie Tozier/Wentworth Tozier
Comments: 246
Kudos: 327
Collections: Anonymous Fics





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Additional tags and warnings will be put in the notes but also, just be aware that nothing in this story is actually nice.

On the first day of the first year of school, Richie met his One. 

For five years his mother has been putting him to sleep with stories of her and his father and telling Richie that he’d find his One as well. She had probably meant when he was older - like her - but Richie wasn’t one to play by the rules. He had walked into school for the first time and sat next to a kid who looked a lot more put together than Richie did and who had introduced himself as Stanly Uris. Richie liked Stan and Stan liked Richie. A match made in friendship heaven because, no, Stan was not his One. Not at all. 

Richie met his One at lunchtime that same day and it was amazing. He and Stan were sitting under a tree, and Richie was trying to get Stan to eat some of his candy that his mom had snuck him for good luck. Stan was not having any of it which made Richie laugh even more. Then his One had come. He was with another boy, that called out to Stan as they made their way over. 

The other boy barely registered in Richie’s mind as his eyes landed on the shorter boy. Dear God, he was the cutest thing Richie had seen. His hair was neat like Stan’s and his clothes were a mix of Stan’s and a normal kid. His eyes were dazzling in the sunlight and his little pout made Richie’s heart do something that it had never done before. Plus he was carrying a Transformer lunch case which just made the whole thing better. 

“Richie, this is Eddie -“ the rest of Stan’s sentence got ignored as Richie focused on what he had heard.

Eddie. Eddie. Eddie. 

“Hi, Richie.”

Even his voice was perfect. And he had said his name. Richie jumped up and pinched Eddie’s cheeks, he wasn’t one to control his impulses, and chanted “cute, cute, cute!”

And Eddie's response made Richie’s heart swell; his little pout growing and his eyebrows pulled in a frown. “I’m not cute!”

“You’re the cutest!”

Stan also stood then, standing beside Richie and opposite the others. “Richie is very strange.”

“I c-c-can tell.”

“Yeah, I agree with Bill. You’re weird.” 

Richie grinned. “Thank you. How do you know Stan the man.”

“My mom is friends with Bill’s mom and Bill went to Sunday school with Eddie.” 

“How d-do you know S-Stan?”

“We’re in the same class,” Richie answered but he was still looking at Eddie. Yeah, he looked like he went to Sunday School. Still the cutest boy Richie had ever seen. “Do you want to sit with us? Maybe you’ll eat my candy, Stan won’t.”

They all sat down under the tree, in a small little circle that Richie never wanted to break. “I can’t eat candy.”

“Why?” Richie looked personally offended by Eddie’s comment.

“My mom said so.” 

Richie decided that he didn’t like Eddie’s mom. “Why?”

“I-“ Eddie stopped and frowned at Richie again. “She said so.”

“S-Stan, did you w-watch -“ Bill’s voice faded out as he and Stan spoke about a TV show they had watched last night. Richie hadn’t seen it and from the looks of it neither had Eddie. 

And Richie was looking. He was trying to be subtle about it, not outright staring but looking out of the corner of his eye while he pretended to rifle through his lunch box. Eddie was listening to Stan and Bill, eyes flicking back and forth between them and occasionally to Richie. When that happened it made Richie’s stomach feel odd and he decided to ask his mom about that later on. And when the same feeling happened when Eddie ate a piece of apple and his tongue kind of poked out a little bit. His mom knew everything so she’d have the answers. At one point Eddie looked over at Richie while Richie was looking at him. His expression was a frown but his eyes were lit up, dazzling Richie. If Richie could see that look every day he’d be a happy man. 

“Mom!” Richie was yelling. He was supposed to talk quietly when he was inside but this was far too important to speak quietly. “Mom!”

Maggie Tozier was the best woman in the world, and Richie knew this. It was obvious. She was kind; smart; pretty and best of all, funny. And yes, she was strict but she knew Richie and she knew that sometimes he had to break a rule. Like right now. He ran into the kitchen where she was standing with a wooden spoon in her hand. He skidded to a stop beside her and pulled on her skirt. “Yes, darling?” 

“Guess what happened!”

“What happened?”

“You have to guess!”

She picked him up, sitting him on the bench beside a bowl with batter in it. “Hmm, you rode an elephant?” Richie giggled and shook his head. “You ate a hundred apples! You captured a monster in your lunch box?”

“No, mom! I met the love of my life!” 

“Oh?” She looked surprised but Richie didn’t see that. Maggie smiled down at her son who was grinning at nothing. “Who?”

“Eddie!” He cheered, Maggie startled. Eddie was not the type of name she was expecting, not at all. But Richie was Richie. “He’s the best, and he’s super cute. He makes my tummy feel all wobbly and weird when he looks at me. And he likes transformers and he told me I’m not funny but it didn’t make me sad because his eyes were all glittery and I really liked it. I am in love!” 

“Sounds like you are,” she kissed his forehead. “How exciting.”

Richie nodded, his glasses going askew at how enthusiastically he moved his head. “I’m going to marry him.”

“We can invite him over for dinner and a play.”

“Yes!” 

“Come, help me make some cookies to celebrate. And when your dad gets home we can go out and have some fun.”

She laughed when he grinned and reached for the bowl. “Can I choose tonight?” 

“Well, you are a big schoolboy now.”

“As big as dad.”

“Yup, as big as dad. So I don’t see why not.”

He snuggled up against her chest, smiling when she pulled him closer. He was happy; he was getting cookies, he was allowed to choose and help, he had his family and he was enjoying school. Richie really loved his mom, and he really loved his dad. His parents were great, Richie knew it already. And when Eddie came over his whole family would become perfect. He just knew it. He couldn’t wait. 

Richie chose an older man. Older than his dad even. Grey hair and glasses that didn’t look anything like Richie’s. Maybe that’s why Richie decided that he wanted him. Because his glasses were ugly. 

It wasn’t that different. He did what he normally did on nights like this. The man walked out of the restaurant and Richie ran into him, literally, begging him to come and help because ‘my mommy’s fallen over and isn’t getting back up!’. Richie was good at his job, his mom always said so. And Maggie was always right. The man followed, just like they always did. Slowly, because he was old but fast enough. 

Went tackled him, stuffing something in his mouth. Maggie put handcuffs on him. They let Richie stab him in the neck with the sleep-needle. He had never done that before, but he was a big boy now. And when he had done it, Maggie bent down and gave him a big kiss and his dad ruffled his hair and said ‘you’re such a good boy’. Richie felt like a good boy when his family was like this. He really, truly did. It was nights like these, where he got to watch his dad load a body into the trunk of their car when he felt like he was at his best.

“Let Richie have his fun,” Maggie said when the man was tied up to the table in their basement. He wasn’t awake yet, but he would be soon. Went raised an eyebrow at Maggie but handed Richie a small blade all the same. “We’re celebrating that he’s a big schoolboy.”

“And that I’m in love.”

“In that case,” Went made a big sweeping motion with his arm, gesturing to the man. Richie giggled and his dad winked. “Go ahead. What are you going to do?” 

Richie shrugged and then squealed when Went lifted him up and sat him down on the man’s chest. “One day,” he said as he took the glasses of the man, “Eds will be here.”

“On the table?” Went asked.

“NO!” Richie spun around to glare at his dad who raised his hands in his defence. Under Richie, the man stirred. “With us.” 

Maggie nodded, “yes, Richie. He will.”

“Looks like we’re getting a new son then.”

The man made a funny groaning noise, his eyes opening. Slowly at first and then quickly when he saw Richie sitting on him. For a second, Richie wondered how much he could see without his glasses. If it were Richie, he’d be blind right now. It sounded like he was begging and crying but the gag made it hard to understand him. Richie tapped him on the check with the knife and laughed when the man whimpered. He turned back to his parents, who were smiling at him. 

With his first stab, Richie decided that the only way to make it better would be to have Eddie by his side. 

Sonia Kaspbrak was a hard lady to talk to. Or that’s what Maggie said to Went and Richie heard because he can be quiet when he wants to be. It was Friday, a whole week of school had gone by, and Eddie still hadn’t been over. Which, for Richie, wasn’t fair at all. Because Eddie wanted to come over! Richie had asked on Tuesday during lunch, he had been hesitant and said his mom might not like it but he wanted to go! So why had it been four days? Maggie called his mom every night and asked if Eddie was free the next day. Every night Sonia, who Richie really didn’t like, would say no.

Until tonight. Finally, she agreed. Eddie was allowed to come over after dinner for two whole hours. It wasn’t amazing but it was something and right now, Richie would be happy with anything. There were a whole bunch of other rules that Maggie told Went, Richie was eavesdropping, but other than that it seemed like everything was going to work out well. And Richie could not wait. 

Finally, just after six, Eddie’s car pulled up outside. They made Richie wait in the living room while they greeted Sonia, which made Richie jittery and jumpy as he waited on the armchair, peering around the hallway. Sonia listed a whole other list - all of them sounded stupid to Richie - and then Eddie was stepping into the hallway. Eddie was in his house! When the front door closed Richie was up and running, pulling Eddie into a hug when he got to them. He was so small, what was Richie supposed to do? 

“Eds!” Richie cheered when he pulled back. “You’re here.”

“Yeah, I am.”

“It’s nice to finally meet you, Eddie,” Maggie said. “Richie is always talking about you. Eds this, Eddie that.”

“No I’m not,” Richie’s ears had gone all hot and it only got worse when Eddie giggled. “You can’t listen to her.”

Eddie shrugged, “you do talk a lot.”

“Yeah. Come on, I’ll show you my room! I have comics. And we can have cake for dessert later on.”

“I’m not allowed cake.”

Maggie smiled and ruffled both of their heads. “It’s alright, Eddie. We can keep it a secret.” 

“A Tozier secret!” Richie gasped, both Maggie and Went nodded. Richie didn’t think he had ever smiled as big as he was smiling right then and there. A Tozier secret was a big deal in their house. And for Eddie to be in on it, well that just meant that Eddie was as much a part of the family as Richie. His smile didn’t go away even when Went whispered that he couldn’t tell Eddie any other Tozier secrets just yet. “Come on, Eds, I have the new Batman comic!”

They ran up to Richie’s room together, happy to be with each other. And after about an hour they were called down so that they could have cake. Which meant Richie got to watch Eddie have cake for the first time. And he got to be the first person that Eddie ever wrestled with and the first person that ever threw a piece of toy at him. For two whole hours, Eddie got to be a Tozier. Richie didn't think he could be any happier. 

Turns out, he could.


	2. Chapter 2

When Richie was bad he got put over a parent's knee and spanked, when he was really bad he lay on the floor really still for hours and was a footrest. When Richie was good he got ice cream with chocolate sauce after dinner, when he was really good he got to have special time with a parent in their bedroom. Richie tried to get special time all the time because it was special and he only got it when both his mom and dad were super proud of him. He didn’t get it very often, more often he was placed over a knee. But that wasn’t his fault! Sometimes the world was loud and Richie found himself being louder. Sometimes his parents understood but most of the time it wasn’t like that. 

Like today. Richie was pouting as he helped his mom unload the dishwasher. He’d come home from school with a note for disrupting the class. Which wasn’t fair. It wasn’t his fault that he kept twitching and talking to Stan! Usually, he got like that just before lunch and then Eddie would calm him down until home time. But today he’d gone to lunch with Stan to see Bill sitting alone. 

Eddie was sick. 

So Richie had gone back into the classroom, feeling twitchy. And it got worse as Richie thought about it all. What if Eddie was so sick that he couldn’t come to school all week? He knew that Eddie’s mom was always really worried so Eddie might be stuck at home for the rest of his life! The thoughts were just so loud that Richie couldn’t do anything to stop himself as he fidgeted and spoke out. It was when he snapped a pencil that his teacher made him go out to the hallway and place a note in his bag. 

Which led to Richie pouting in the kitchen. Because Maggie had seen the note, sighed, called his dad and then placed him over her knee. It wasn’t as bad as it had been before though. And he always got a lot of hugs afterwards, and Richie really liked hugs so that was okay. Richie was still pouting though. 

“I know it’s hard,” Maggie said after some time in silence. Richie almost dropped the plate in fright. “Your mind is so different than the other kids. I get that, but it doesn’t mean that you can misbehave.”

“I missed Eddie.”

“You said.”

“He makes it easier,” he admitted. Maggie made a humming noise which Richie knew meant that she was thinking about something. He didn’t know what she was thinking about though, he hardly ever did. “He makes the thoughts quieter but I don’t know how he does it. Maybe he’s magic.”

Maggie laughed, “I think it’s that you two are soulmates. He’s designed for you.” 

“I like that,” Richie said. And he did. A lot. Like, more than anything else. The mere idea of Eddie being designed for Richie made his tummy and heart do all sorts of weird stuff. “He’s mine.”

“I can’t see why not.”

“Because he’s sick.”

She ruffled his hair and he scrunched up his nose at her. “But he won’t be sick forever, will he? And when he’s back at school I’ll call Sonia and ask for another playdate. How does that sound?” Richie went to say that it sounded absolutely amazing when a car pulled up into their driveway. “Looks like daddy’s home.”

“Is he mad at me?”

“No,” Maggie picked Richie up and kissed him quickly. “We understand, Richie. I’m not mad at you either.”

“Sad?”

“We’re only sad that you’re struggling because we love you so much. But I think I have an idea that might fix it all.”

Richie knew his mom was smart. She’d figure it all out. He knew it. 

Two days after the note was sent home, two weeks after the start of school, the principal knocked on his class. Richie ignored it in favour of colouring a picture that Stan had drawn of a bird. Then his name, and Stan’s, were being called and they were going out into the hallway for reasons unknown. The principal, someone Richie had never actually met, smiled at them. 

“I understand that you two are having a bit of a hard time settling down,” he said. It wasn’t a question but it was at the same time. Both of them nodded anyway. Not like it was wrong, Richie couldn’t sit still or stop talking half the time and Stan couldn’t breathe right if someone touched him or the books were wrong. The principal smiled again. “And you’re friends in the other class help with that?” Again they nodded; Eddie could calm Richie down and Stan wasn’t as stressed or scared when they were all together. “Would you like to go and join that class, with them?”

This time their nods weren’t nearly as hesitant. 

Bill and Eddie looked confused when Stan and Richie came into their class. But they didn’t look annoyed or anything. Richie practically skipped to their side, Stan close to his side. The principal talked to their new teacher but that didn’t matter. Because Eddie was right there! He was right beside Richie and would be every day. They weren’t going to be separated all the time anymore. “My mom is amazing.”

“Why ar-re you h-h-here?”

“We’ve switched classes,” Stan said. “Because we’re friends.”

Richie understood more than Stan, it seemed. They weren’t being moved because they were friends. They were moving because they were different. Which Richie had always seen as a bad thing yet it was benefitting him so well right now. His loud thoughts got him into trouble, Stan’s habits got him panicky. They weren’t good things to have - yet, here he was standing beside Eddie. What else could he do because his thoughts weren’t the same as other kids?

All of this thinking gone from his head as soon as Eddie smiled at them. “We’re doing maths sheets.”

“Eddie isn’t v-very g-g-good,” Bill said before laughing. Stan and Richie sat down opposite the two of them. “It is v-very hard.”

“Here,” Richie took the sheet and wrote the rest of the answers down quickly. “Now you’re done.”

“W-wow.”

Stan said something to Bill, about Richie knowing things, but Richie could only concentrate on the amazed look on Eddie’s pretty face. Eddie was looking at him like he was special, in a way that was only good. It made the funny feeling come back to his tummy. Because it looked like Eddie really liked Richie. Designed for him. Well, that would make sense: Richie could do maths and Eddie couldn’t which would mean there was something that Eddie could do better. It was probably being really pretty. 

“You’re smart.”

“It’s the glasses. They’re magic.”

Eddie laughed. Richie made Eddie laugh. Richie made Eddie laugh! 

“Uh,” Eddie said, quietly and softly. The thought of pinching his cheeks was oh so tempting but Richie held off. “Rich?” 

“Yeah?” Richie could only focus on the nickname. First laughing and then that? Was Eddie trying to make the funny feeling kill him? Because it was working, and well. Whenever he was around the feeling was there but this was just making it a hundred times worse. Maggie has said it was because they were deep in love, so Richie wondered if Eddie felt it too? He had to, right? He couldn't not. Because they loved each other. Eddie must have; he blushed more when he was talking to Richie over Bill or Stan and his eyes were glittery when they looked at Richie. It made sense. 

“Could I come back to your house?”

Richie nodded without really thinking before asking; “you want to?” 

“It was a lot of fun. Your mommy is nice.”

“She is. We have Netflix on the TV, maybe you can come over and we can watch a movie?”

“I’d like that.”

Yeah, Richie thought to himself, so would he. 

The rule is they can only play every two weeks, and every second time they have to leave Derry. Richie knew why they had the rules; to keep them safe, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t annoying. Once a month, on a Friday night they’d pack up and drive to a city somewhere which meant Richie had to sit in the car for hours. Mostly they went to Portland but sometimes they’d go as far as Boston or even Quebec once or twice. Maggie had explained it many times, something about police not knowing it’s them, but that usually went in one ear and out the other. 

Whatever, the car rides ended with something fun at least. But this week was different because Richie really, really, really wanted Eddie to come over for a movie! They’d been talking about it all day Thursday. Eddie was even coming up with excuses so that he could come. But now they were planning to leave Derry for the whole weekend. Richie would actually die. 

“We could take Eddie with us!” Richie said. He had just gotten home and was trying his hardest to get his way. “He’d like it.”

“His mother hardly relented to two hours, I don’t think she’d be happy with two days.” 

“I can stay and you go!”

Maggie laughed, “I don’t think that’s allowed.”

“We could take Eddie and not tell his mom.”

“I think she’d notice.”

Richie screwed up his face. “We could make her go to sleep. And then Eddie could stay with us.”

“If we made Sonia go to sleep Eddie would be sent away and you’d not see him until you were eighteen.” 

“What?”

Maggie nodded at him, finally finishing packing Richie’s bag and zipping it up. “A child goes away when their parents go to sleep. Eddie would go to his other family members or out of town. Which wouldn’t help.”

“They go away?” Richie muttered, Eddie and his problems gone for a moment. “What if the people we make go to sleep have children?”

“What do you mean?” Maggie asked as they walked out of Richie’s bedroom. On the way, Richie snatched the polaroid of Eddie that Richie had taken when he was over the other week. It had been attracted to the wall above his bed but if they were going away without Eddie then the picture could come with them as well. That way Eddie was kind of with them and Richie wouldn’t forget what he looked like (even if he didn’t think it was possible). 

Richie shrugged, remembering the question. “What if they have kids? What happens then?”

“It’s not our problem.”

“I’d be so sad if someone put you or dad asleep.”

She hummed, “no one is going to do that.”

“Yeah, but what happens to those kids?” 

“No one we put to sleep have kids.”

“How do you know?”

They got to the front door where Maggie put down their bags. She turned around and smiled down at him, “a mother knows. Now, I’m thinking that we go as soon as your dad gets home and you do you know what else I’m thinking?”

“No?” 

“Drive-thru for dinner!” 

Portland was fun. Would it have been way better with Eddie there? Yes, absolutely. But it was alright. They took two people which was always a treat. And once they had the couple in the trunk they went to the forest, which was different. The lady had a big tummy and Richie had asked if she had a baby in there but his dad said no and that was that. Richie wasn’t as involved as other times. Instead, he tried to climb a tree while his mom had her fun. 

At one point the cloth was taken out of their mouths, his dad liked that, and they started talking to Richie. It wasn’t the first time he’d spoken to the people but he didn’t particularly like it because they were always crying and asking for help. And they never just wanted to talk, it was always begging and annoying. Today was no different, as soon as she could speak the lady was looking at him and saying “please, please! I don’t want to die!” 

“You’re fucking insane!” The man said, looking at Went. “Insane!”

“Kid,” the lady moaned, “please help us.” Maggie laughed and kicked her, making her whimper even more. Went was looking in their special Tozier bag, where they kept all their things, and he didn’t even react to them talking. The lady was crying now, and the man was staring at her with a sad look on his eyes. Richie fell from the first branch and when he turned around the lady was looking at him. “How could you do this to your son? You’re abusing him!” 

“Richie is having fun,” Maggie replied and Went handed her one of their knives. “Aren’t you, baby?”

He nodded, “I wanna get to the top of the tree.”

“Put your foot in that hole when you get to the first branch,” Went replied. “We’re going to start cutting if you want to come and help.”

“Can you help me climb the tree afterwards?” 

“Of course.”

“Can I cut them?” 

Went nodded and held out Richie’s knife. Richie loved his knife, it was a switchblade that had a lion carved onto one side of the handle and the blade had been painted bright blue, it had been a present for his third birthday. Richie was always so careful with it - not only because it was sharp, and he would know - but because he wanted to keep it forever and ever. His knife was only used when he and his family had their fun time so that he didn’t lose it but also so the knife was kept special.

“Please, Richie,” the lady said quickly and loudly. “Please. I’ve got a baby in my belly. Please don’t hurt my baby, Richie.”

“No, you don’t.”

“Yes, I do. Richie, it’s a little boy and he’s going to be born soon. You don’t want to kill a little baby, do you?”

Richie looked at his dad who was already looking at him. The lady did look like she was going to have a baby, Richie wasn’t an idiot. But his dad wouldn’t lie to him. People lied to them all the time, they’d say things like ‘I won’t tell anyone’ and ‘I’ll give you my money’ so it wasn’t completely out of the question that she’d lie to him. The man was nodding along, but they could be working together to try and get away so they wouldn’t go to sleep. 

That in itself was bad, because they had driven all the way to Portland and Richie had missed seeing Eddie so he was going to have some fun with his parents. Even if she wasn’t lying. Who cares? But anyway, his dad doesn’t lie. 

By the time they were done, Richie was covered in blood. It had splattered everywhere, his hair was sticking to his forehead and his jeans were blotchy and uncomfortable. He grinned up Maggie when he went over, a drop of blood landing on his lip. It didn’t taste as gross as he would have guessed. Maggie reached down and wiped some of the blood of his cheek before kissing him on his lip. When she pulled back she had blood on her lips as well. 

The couple were so cut up that Richie could hardly recognise them, but his parents liked that. After Richie had spent about twenty minutes messing around (and then he got bored and went back to the tree) Maggie and Went had their turn, each taking a person to play with until they were asleep. Went came over and kissed the both of them as well, high fiving Richie before taking his knife to wash the blood off. Maggie handed Richie a cloth to wash his own face and while Richie didn’t mind being dirty - Eddie minded, he knew that now - the feeling of dried blood wasn’t a pleasant one. 

“Was that fun?” 

“She screamed a lot.” 

“I thought it was annoying.”

“My teacher would scream, I think.”

“Oh?” 

Richie nodded and wiped some blood from his face. “Can Eddie come over on Monday after school? Pretty please.” 

"Sure. I think that's a great idea."


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Standard warnings apply.

Richie’s back at school on Monday. So’s Eddie. Which is perfect because Richie really missed Eddie while he was gone. It had been two whole days! Last time his dad went away for two days his mom cried, so it was completely fair for Richie to be annoyed and to want to see him. It was also fair for Richie to want to tell Eddie all about his weekend and the couple and how his dad threw them into a lake. But that was a Tozier secret that Eddie wasn’t allowed to know. Yet. 

Whatever. Eddie couldn’t know what they did in the woods to the couple but he could totally know about the tree that Richie did climb (with the help of his dad, sure, but Eddie didn’t need to know that part). One day Eddie would be allowed to know all of the Tozier secrets that Richie knew; because he’d be a Tozier. It didn’t matter how; Richie only cared that it happened. 

“I’m trying to get my mom to buy me a dog,” Richie said as he and Eddie walked out of the school together. Stan and Bill had run off to the bike racks like they always did, but Richie and Eddie’s moms picked them up every afternoon. Eddie because his mom was scared of Eddie riding a bike and Richie because their house wasn’t very close to the school like the other kids. It was great though because Richie got more alone time with Eddie. Like now. “I think I’d be great at looking after a dog.” 

“What kind of dog?”

“A big one.”

“How big?”

“As big as a horse.”

“It wouldn’t fit in your bed.”

Richie shrugged, “I guess. Maybe a bit smaller then. But she said no anyway.”

“Maybe she said no because the dog you want is too big?”

Maggie was already waiting for them, leaning against her car. And Sonia was nowhere to be seen because Eddie wasn’t going home. Nope, he was going to the Toziers. Richie didn’t know how his mom did it. Sonia was the worst person in the world, Richie was sure of it. But she did it, and now Eddie was hopping into their car with Richie. And Eddie would come home and it was almost like they were married. A thought that made Richie’s tummy roll a whole lot. 

“Can I get a small dog?” Richie asked, before any kind of greeting or before his seatbelt was on. “One that can fit in my bed.”

“Oh? I thought you wanted a big one?”

“Eds thought you’d be happier with a small one.”

She looked at Eddie as Richie fumbled with his seatbelt (Eddie already had his on, had put it on before putting his bag on the floor). He was watching Richie but turned to her when she spoke. “Do you want a dog, Eddie?” 

“No. I’m allergic,” Eddie shrugged. He missed how Maggie’s eyes tightened. 

“What if you weren’t?” Richie asked his seatbelt now on. “Would you want one then?”

He thought for a moment before shaking his head. “They’re dirty. I wouldn’t want to be in a bed with one.”

“Do you still want a dog, Richie?” 

“Maybe Eds has a point.” 

“How was your day?” Maggie asked them as she finally pulls out of the school lot. She looked away from the mirror, trying to keep her laughing to herself. “Anything exciting happen?” 

“A boy pushed Eddie into the sandpit,” Richie answered. 

Eddie looked at his hands, “don’t tell my mommy that.”

“Why not, Eddie?” Maggie asked as kindly as she possibly could. “And I won’t, it can be a Tozier secret.”

“She gets angry when that kind of thing happens. I don’t like it.”

Richie made an unhappy noise. “She gets angry a lot.” 

“Yeah, I guess.”

“It’s alright! My mommy doesn’t, and you can borrow her as much as you like.”

“Really?” 

Maggie smiled at him as Richie nodded enthusiastically. “Yes,” she said, “you can. And we don’t have to tell your mommy anything that happens.”

He didn’t mean to eavesdrop. Truly, he didn’t. It was just that he was thirsty and needed water otherwise he swore that he’d actually die. And then, as he was walking to the kitchen, he heard his dad say his name through their bedroom door and he had to stop. It’s not his fault! They’re talking about him, of course, he has to know what they’re saying. Maybe it’s about a dog - but he doesn’t want one anymore anyway. 

“-still young.”

His mom sighed, “but he’s not a baby. It’s different.”

“You said Eddie’s mom is fucked, right?” Went asked, Maggie didn’t say anything but Went continued. Richie guessed that she nodded. Sonia was, Richie knew that. “We can use that to our advantage. Make sure that Eddie not only feels safer here but likes it more than his own house.” 

“It’s still risky.”

“Do you want Eddie to join our family?”

“Of course,” she said quickly and then sighed. “And that means that it’s worth it. I know that already. Richie would probably kill us if we said otherwise.” 

Went hummed, “he really likes Eddie.”

“So do I. I want him, Went, and I am willing to do whatever we have to do, I am. I think Richie is too. It’s still risky though.”

“Why don’t we invite him and their other little friends over on Friday? Then we can think of something that will keep him with us.” 

“Sonia is a hard woman to persuade, I’ll tell you that.” 

“If anyone can it’s you.”

“I feel so bad for Eddie, being in that house. You should have heard the things he said to me and Richie today. He wasn’t allowed gluten or dairy or sugar, he isn’t allowed to watch anything he likes on TV. Richie broke another glass and Eddie nearly passed out in fright. I don’t know what he thought I would do but he was scared that I would punish him.”

Went took a second to reply. “Is she-“ he stopped. 

“Richie doesn’t like being punished, no kid does, I know. But Eddie looked terrified at the thought of it. Richie just pouts. I think she is.”

Is what? That’s all Richie could think. He knew all the stuff about Sonia already. Eddie had told him about his home and how he wasn’t really allowed to have any fun there. How he wasn’t allowed cake or candy or to ride a bike or play video games or have an iPad or computer. And how his mommy got angry, really angry and mean, whenever Eddie did something wrong, which was most things according to Sonia. Richie didn’t even think Eddie could do something wrong: he was perfect. How Sonia couldn’t see that, Richie didn’t know. 

Never one for holding back, Richie burst into their room and threw himself on the bed. His parents didn’t seem that shocked. Which wasn’t surprising, Richie was prone to being dramatic and theatrical. It made life more fun. He had always been like that, so his parents had just gotten used to it. And maybe they’d be annoyed at him for listening but it wasn’t that big of a deal to them. Hopefully. 

“We have to save Ed’s from the witch!”

“Aren’t you a little hero,” Maggie replied as she pulled Richie up to lay in between her and Went. 

“Eddie’s hero.”

Went laughed, “a dashing knight saves his love from the beast.”

“Can we save Eddie?”

“Were you listening to us?” Maggie asked. Richie didn’t answer but that was answer enough. She sighed and flicked him on the nose. They weren’t angry at him, he could tell. Maggie continued, “we will save Eddie, baby. But it can’t be tonight.”

That made sense: it was already dark out. “Tomorrow?” 

“Afraid not,” Went sighed. “We gotta play the long game here.” 

“That’s boring. And bad for Eddie.”

“Well, in the meantime,” Maggie said, “we can have Eddie over lots. So that it’s not so bad, yeah? And we can tell him some Tozier secrets but not all of them. And we can have sleepovers with him.”

“All of us?”

Maggie pursed her lips, “what do you mean?”

“Will you have playtime with Eddie when he sleeps over?” 

His parents looked at each other before looking back down at him. It was his dad that answered for both of them. “Someday.”

The next morning Maggie and Richie were both woken up when Went got up for work. They had another twenty minutes before they had to get ready for school - twenty-five if they rushed breakfast - so as Went got dressed Maggie pulled Richie closer to her and the two of them played until her alarm went off. While he was still in the room Went watched, laughing when Richie made silly jokes while he helped his mommy. After he left Maggie pulled her dress off let Richie do whatever he wanted. He always liked doing that, with his mommy and daddy. 

Later, once they had finished, they made their way to the kitchen. Usually, Richie wasn’t allowed much sugar; especially in his lunch. But today, he watched as Maggie put two small chocolate bars under his sandwich. “Give one to Eddie, okay?”

“And the other one?”

“For you.”

“We're matching.” 

She nodded, “you are. And if he wants anything else from your lunch, give it to him because you can come home and have more. His mommy doesn’t let him.”

“I know.”

“Such a good boy,” Maggie said with a smile. Richie felt his face warming up and his smile growing. They only said that he was a good boy when they were playing, in the bedroom or with other people. To be called a good boy out of that must mean that Richie was doing something really good. She gave him a kiss as she handed him some toast. “Truly, Richie, you’re great. Especially now with Eddie.” 

“I love him.”

“I bet he loves you too, but he doesn’t know it yet.”

“Why not?” 

Maggie sighed and took a moment to answer. “His mommy has made it so that he can’t feel any really happy emotions, like love. So he doesn’t know that he loves you. We have to teach him that.”

“And to be a Tozier.”

“And to be a Tozier, in every sense. Eat up baby, you don’t want to be late to school.” 

Richie found out on Thursday through Bill, which was strange. He was sitting under the tree with Bill, Eddie and Stan had gone to re-wash their hands, when he said: “what m-movie are we g-g-going to watch?” 

“What do you mean?” Richie had asked. He hadn’t been listening all that well, instead, he was making sure that he had Eddie’s cupcake ready for him when he came back. They were matching again. “When?”

“T-tomorrow. We’re all coming t-to your house,” Bill replied. It clicked then. His parents had talked about having all of Richie’s friends over for a sleepover. As much as he loved Eddie he liked his friends, so it was a nice idea. It was a surprise that Sonia was letting Eds go, not that Richie was complaining about it. 

“Something funny.”

“You can learn how to be funny then,” Eddie said as he and Stan sat down. Richie stuck his tongue out and Eddie giggled. “What are you talking about?”

Bill answered as Richie handed over the cupcake. Yesterday it had been a small candy. He was under strict instructions to not make a big deal over it but to give the treat to him no matter what. “T-tomorrow.” 

“It’s my first sleepover,” Stan said. All of them nodded in agreement. None of them had many, if any, friends before each other. It made them better friends, in Richie’s eyes. “My mommy said that we get to stay up late at sleepovers.”

Well, whenever Richie had sleepovers with his parents they stayed up late. So that sounded right. But he also knew that this sleepover was very different and he wasn’t to talk about his sleepovers with his parents. They were Tozier secrets. “I think we should stay up late and eat a whole lot of ice cream.” 

“Will we sleep in your room?” Stan asked. Richie knew that he should answer; the question was almost definitely directed at him. But Eddie was eating the cupcake in such a cute way that Richie couldn’t take his eyes off of it. He nodded anyway. God, Eddie was the cutest thing in the whole world, Richie was absolutely positive of it. One day they’d kiss, no matter what they would, and that would be the best day ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is the sleepover and Maggie upping her conditioning...


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mentions of murder + underage sex.  
> Underage kissing

Richie was practically bouncing off the classroom walls waiting for the bell to ring. Only five minutes more and they’d be free to go back to his house for their sleepover. All of them were excited about it; it had been all they talked about all day. Eddie and Stan were nervous as they weren’t that comfortable with leaving their parents all night but Bill and Richie had calmed them down. Reminding them that they were going to have so much fun.

And finally, the bell went. The four boys were quick to pack up and run out of the class towards the cars. Ready for their sleepover to officially start. Maggie was already there, standing beside her car and talking to another mom. When she saw them she stopped the conversation and turned to them. She hugged each of them but kissed only Eddie’s and Richie’s checks. Which meant that they were special. They were more than Bill and Stan.

When they got home Went was already there. It wasn’t very common to have him home but it happened sometimes when no one had booked an appointment. But it made the whole night better because look, Richie’s dad is here! And while Maggie was the best mom and made really nice pizza, Went was amazing at playing video games with Richie. 

“I thought you said you had Call of Duty,” Stan said as Richie put his Minecraft CD into the Xbox. 

“I do,” Richie replied. And that was true, he did have it. He had gotten it for his birthday. The Tozier household wasn’t very strict on age restrictions and such. Besides, the game wasn’t even that realistic. Richie had seen worse. “I lost it.” Now that was a lie. He knew exactly where it was. It was in his parents' room, hidden somewhere where he couldn’t get it. Not because he was being punished, no, but because Eddie hadn’t liked it when they played the afternoon he came over. But Eddie had really liked the other games Richie had. “I have Minecraft, and that’s fun.”

“It is,” Eddie said. The home screen loaded and Richie clicked to select a world. 

“Why d-does it s-say ‘Eds’?” 

Richie made a silly face at Bill. “Because it’s Eds’ world?”

“You didn’t delete it?” 

“No. Why would I do that?” Richie asked. That would make Eddie upset, or even angry, and Richie wasn’t allowed to make Eddie feel any bad emotions at his house. His mommy and daddy had made it a new rule: and a very important one at that. Eddie shrugged but didn’t respond. “Who wants to go first?”

Eddie ends up going first because he’s the cutest. Maybe you could say that Richie was playing favourites but Richie would argue that he liked his other friends a whole lot as well. It was simply because Eddie looked sweet when he raised his hand. How could Richie say no to that? He was sure that it was actually impossible to. Which meant that Eddie was playing first. And then Stan, because Stan had pushed Bill’s hand down, which made Richie laugh a whole lot. 

After a while of playing and messing around, they decided to switch games. Richie pulled out all of his games; quite a few, he was rather proud of them. And flicked to the back, where games he thought Eddie might like were now kept. They weren’t violent or mean games, mainly simple but still fun. Eddie would have to get used to violence and blood though. One day, anyway. While they were looking through the folder of games Bill turned to Richie and asked: “what’s your f-favourite g-game?”

The question took his off guard. Richie had lots of favourites. He loved when his mommy or daddy lay down on the bed and he got to do whatever he wanted to them, and he loved it when he was the one laying down because that always ended with Richie feeling all nice and gooey. Another game he loved was when they got a new person and Richie got all dirty because of all the fun they had. And when Eddie had come over they had played a lot of games and Richie had loved all of them. But that wasn’t what Bill was asking because other kids weren’t as lucky as Richie, he knew that. “I like all of them.”

“You’re lucky to have so many,” Stan said. “I have hardly any.” 

“Yeah. My mommy and daddy like playing them with me.”

“My mommy doesn't like them,” Eddie muttered. 

Richie wrapped him up a hug. “Your mommy sounds super boring. That’s alright, mine is fun and you can have fun with her whenever you want!” 

The other boys didn’t understand what Richie was saying. 

“Can w-we p-play Mario?” 

Half an hour before dinner Maggie came into the room and told them to go outside and play until their food was ready. All the boys aside from Eddie were fine with this, happily heading out to the Tozier’s back garden. The Toziers had a good back garden, lots of toys and a large lawn to mess around on. It was designed for kids as well, with Richie being so hyperactive it was a needed space. Eddie, however, hung back, not walking out of the glass doors. 

“Can I stay in here?” He asked when Maggie placed a hand on his shoulder. By now Richie had stopped, turning to watch what Eddie was doing. He looked upset. “I’m not allowed to play outside.” 

“Why not, honey?” Maggie asked. 

“My mommy said so. It’s dirty and I have ali-geez.”

Maggie sighed but it was Richie spoke up. “It’ll be okay, Eds. Your mommy doesn’t know what kind of grass we have at our house.” 

“Huh?” 

“Well, she said you have ali-geez but she can’t know if you’re L-geric to my grass. Can she?”

Eddie looked at the grass behind Richie like it could answer the question. By now Stan and Bill were both watching as well. “Yeah,” Stan said. “You can totally play out here.” 

“It r-rained yesterday s-so it won’t b-be dirty.”

He still didn’t look convinced. “What if-”

Richie interrupted him, “what if you don’t come out and then miss out on having loads of fun even though you’re not L-geric?”

“I guess.”

“Yeah,” Richie ran up to him and grabbed his hand. “We’ll have so much fun. Your mommy doesn’t know anything. Isn’t that right, mommy?” Maggie nodded at Richie’s question and Richie smiled the biggest smile he possibly could at Eddie. “Come on, Eds, come and have fun with us!” 

“Don’t tell my mommy?”

“Never.”

“Okay.”

They went onto the grass together. Eddie looked nervous and was squeezing Richie’s hand as they stepped into the garden, but he did it. Maybe he didn’t look super happy in the beginning and for the first ten minutes, Eddie didn’t leave Richie’s side and didn’t drop his hand. Richie didn’t mind, not one bit. But then Bill dared him to have a running race and he let go to run and laugh with his friend. Richie was equal parts proud and upset. Maybe a little bit more proud. 

Stan came to stand next to him as Bill and Eddie raced up and down the garden. “Is Eddie your best friend?”

“Yes. Is Bill yours?”

“I guess,” Stan laughed. Richie didn’t get the joke. “You’re good with Eddie.”

“He’s like a baby.” Richie's baby. 

“Are you always going to be friends?” Stan asked, but he was looking at Richie like he already knew. Like he knew more than everyone else. It made Richie uncomfortable. Richie nodded anyway. No way that wasn’t happening. He and Eds were for life, no matter what happens. Stan nodded as if that was the answer he was expecting. Which, well it wasn’t like Richie was quiet when it came to his feelings towards Eddie. It still made Richie feel weird, the way he was looking at him. Not like other kids their age. “I thought so.”

“We’ll always be friends, right?”

He nodded but his eyes weren’t right. Richie could tell. Usually, when people made Richie feel weird he’d tell his parents and they’d take care of it so they were gone. This was the first time in Richie’s life where he didn’t want to. He didn’t want Stan to be taken care of because he looked like he knew too much. But if Stan did know too much then he wouldn’t come over to his house. So he didn’t know. Stan couldn’t know so Richie let it go.

“You love him.”

“What?”

“You love-love Eddie.”

Richie laughed. “Yeah, we’re soulmates.”

“I can see it.”

Well, with Stan’s knowing eyes then there was no way it wasn’t true. 

After dinner (pizza which Eddie ate even though he didn’t think he could, all of the Toziers were very proud and made sure he knew it) they put on a kids movie in the living room. Eddie and Stan and Bill seemed very invested in it while Richie found it rather boring. Not that he didn’t like kids movies, but he preferred it when they were a bit older than this. Although he did enjoy watching Eddie’s smiling face. But then, even though they were having fun, Stan and Bill both fell asleep. 

When they did, Maggie and Went came in and carried them out and to Richie’s room where they were sleeping that night. Richie was glad they were gone because now he didn’t have to be quiet. And it also meant that they could change the movie. Which he did, even though Eddie was pouting at him. He put on a movie that wasn’t meant for five-year-olds but he’d still seen it and knew it wasn’t that bad. 

“This movie looks scary.”

“It’s not scary,” Richie shook his head. “It’s fun.”

“I’m only allowed to watch G movies.”

Richie shrugged, “don’t tell your mommy and she won’t know.”

“What about your mommy?”

“She doesn’t care. And she won’t tell your mommy.”

Eddie didn’t argue after that. Maggie checked on them a moment later, smiling and waving before disappearing again as quickly as she could. Once she had gone Richie wriggled around so that he and Eddie were cuddling on one end of the couch. Clearly Eddie was okay with this as he didn’t even pout when Richie started manhandling him to get him into the right position. In fact, he almost went limp and let Richie do whatever he wanted. Richie didn’t know why that thought made him so excited. 

On-screen two people kissed. Richie had seen that kind of thing a million times but from Eddie’s reaction, it seemed different. “They’re just kissing,” Richie said with a small laugh, tearing Eddie’s focus from the screen. 

“I’ve never seen that.”

“You’ve never seen kissing before?”

“No.”

It took Richie off guard. Who didn’t know what kissing was? But then again, Eddie wasn’t allowed to watch much TV and hardly any movies. And his dad was dead so his mom probably wasn’t kissing anyone. Okay, that made a little more sense. “So you’ve never kissed anyone?” Richie asked cheekily though he already knew the answer. Most kids his age hadn’t. Not like Richie had, anyway. 

“Of course not.”

“We could try it,” Richie said. He almost expected his parents - who he knew were listening behind the door - to come in and interrupt them. But they didn’t so Richie continued. “It’s nice.”

“It’s dirty.”

Richie laughed. What an Eddie thing to say. “Not really. It’s really easy as well.”

“Won’t we get in trouble.”

“No.” Richie knew he wasn’t going to get in trouble for kissing Eddie. They were going to get married for goodness sakes. Of course, his parents wouldn’t care about it. Eddie’s mommy might mid. She would mind a whole lot. She was annoying and mean but she didn’t need to know anything that happened at the Tozier household. And Richie told Eddie as such, calmly and softly. Like Eddie was a little baby. 

“My mommy said two boys kissing in wrong and evil.”

“Your mommy also said you can’t have pizza or play video games. She’s wrong.”

Eddie looked at the TV again. The scene had changed, they were running through a forest now. Not that Richie really cared anymore. “I don’t know how to kiss,” Eddie finally said.

And that was all Richie needed to hear. He gripped Eddie’s face in his hands and twisted him around. When he was facing Richie it was simple to lean in and press their lips together. It wasn’t like a kiss with his mommy or daddy. Their mouths stayed closed, Richie’s hands stayed on Eddie’s face and Eddie’s hands moved to grip at Richie’s wrists. He opened his eyes, just to check, and Eddie had his closed; looking more relaxed than Richie had ever seen before. 

Richie pulled back but kept his hands there. “See, easy,” he smiled before making Eddie nod his head. “Did you like it?” Richie did the same thing again. “Should we do it again?” Another nod, controlled by Richie. He pressed their lips together again, this time for a shorter period of time. “Now you know how to kiss.”

“Thank you. For teaching me.” 

Now that did something funny to Richie’s tummy. “You’re welcome, Eds. I’ll teach you lots of things, don’t worry.”

“You’re the best best friend ever.”

“You’re the cutest best friend ever,” Richie replied. Eddie giggled before moving to rest his head on Richie’s lap to finish the movie. Richie always had trouble sitting still, but right now with Eddie like that and the chance to run his fingers through his hair like his dad did to him and his mom? He was like a statue. 

It only took Eddie a few minutes to fall asleep, and that’s when his parents came back in. “I am proud of you, Richie.”

Maggie nodded, “you’re such a good boy.”

“Eds is a good boy.” 

“The best,” Went agreed as he sat beside Richie. Maggie sat on the table in front of them, smiling down at a sleeping Eddie. “Was it good?”

“Amazing.”

Reaching forward, Maggie pinched his cheeks. “I’m jealous.” 

“One day,” Went replied. He had started running his hand through Richie’s hair like Richie was doing to Eddie, which was making him very sleepy. Maggie smiled at him again, he really liked his mom’s smiles. “One day soon we’ll all be a happy family. Doesn’t that sound wonderful?”

Richie sighed sleepily, “we’re going to be the best family ever.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the comments! I'm happy you like this story.
> 
> Also, would you guys like more graphic/descriptive scenes in this? Both with the murder and also Richie/his parents.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Standard warnings +  
> Paedophilia - more detailed.

Kissing Eddie was great. 

Really, Richie absolutely loved it. Any chance he got to kiss Eddie, he took it. It had been a month since the sleepover, and somehow Maggie had made it so that Eddie could come over every Friday for dinner. And during those few precious hours, Richie kissed Eddie as much as he could. Over the four weeks, Eddie got more and more comfortable with the idea of kissing. He’d even started one or two of them. It was a big deal.

In those four weeks, Eddie had also become more open at the Toziers house. He was still uptight and scared at school and (from what he told Richie) at home as well. But when he was with the Toziers he could relax. Which was, really, all thanks to all of the Toziers making him feel like he was one of them; at their house but also whenever he and Richie were together. 

Like how Maggie packed two treats into Richie’s lunch box every day because everyone knew Eddie wasn’t allowed them. And how she wrote two notes for both of them to read while eating, little love hearts covering the page. Or when Went saw Eddie and his mom at the grocery store and he slipped Eddie a lollipop and when his mom wasn’t looking a big hug because Eddie really liked it when he and Went could hug. Or the time Eddie was allowed to go to the arcade with Richie, Bill and Maggie but he wasn’t allowed any money to play so Maggie bought him as many tokens as Richie. 

Maggie had told Richie after the sleepover that it was their job to give Eddie as much love as they could. That way Eddie would love them back. And it seemed to be working; of course it was, his parents knew everything. 

But this also meant that they hadn’t had much playtime. Because they weren’t supposed to only play in Derry, especially when people were talking about the disappearances (Maggie always knew those kinds of things), but Richie refused to leave Eddie. They had talked about it the first weekend and Richie had practically screamed at them straight away. Maggie and Went had been surprisingly easy to convince to stay in town though. 

It was Richie who came up with the solution. 

The Toziers were one of the richer families in town, which meant they lived further out. Not on a farm, but not in a small house like Eddie. This meant that their neighbours weren’t close to them. The Toziers had a basement. They used it sometimes, really only special occasions because it wasn’t done up and it was a hassle to get the person in and out all the time. 

One Saturday, when his parents were talking about just doing something in Derry he spoke up and said: “we should make the basement our lair.” 

“What do you mean?” Maggie had asked. 

“Where we take them, so that we can keep them and play for longer.”

Went and Maggie had looked at each other for a long time. Long enough for Richie to start to twitch. Then they looked back at him and his dad said: “that’s a very smart idea. Why don’t you run up to our room, Rich, you can have a treat for coming up with it.”

He did as he was told. Treats were awesome. Richie did what he always did when he was sent to his parents' room; he took off all of his clothes before jumping onto their bed and laying in the middle. It was a big bed and he always thought he must look silly laying in the middle of it. Only a moment later his parents walked in, Maggie sighing and picking up his clothes that he had just thrown on the floor. She made a big show of putting them in the hamper before doing the same with her own clothes. 

They laid down on either side of him, both stripped now, and Went started kissing him while Maggie held his hand. When Richie was getting treats he was supposed to lay still and let them do whatever they wanted. Sometimes he wanted to wiggle and move because they always took so long. But, in the end, he got his treat and it was totally worth it. Richie couldn’t remember when this started but he could remember feeling so happy and loved after every time. 

But this time, this time was different. Something was wrong. And apparently, his parents could tell what he was thinking. Both of them pulled away and propped up on one side to look at him. Maggie stroked the hair out of his eyes and Richie tried not to cry. He didn’t even know why he was upset. Went rubbed his hand soothingly over his chest, which didn’t make his eyes stop twitching. 

“Richie?”

“You okay, bud?” Went asked. 

It clicked then. “I want Eddie,” Richie muttered before bursting into tears. 

“Aw, baby,” Maggie cooed and pulled him closer. Richie liked hugs like this, when she wasn’t wearing a shirt and he could cuddle into her. “I know, darling.”

“When can he come?” Richie asked through tears and into Maggie’s skin.

“Soon,” Went promised.

Richie nodded sadly, face stained with tears. He took a deep breath to try and calm down, face still in his mother's chest. “Can I still have my treat?” 

“Of course,” Maggie replied, Richie, pulled back. Laying back down with drier eyes. She kept talking as Went started moving his hands in all the places that made Richie tingle. “One day, so soon, we’re going to have Eddie laying beside you. All tingley and happy just like you. It won’t be long, darling. When we do have him here you can do whatever you want to him, can’t you? Just like your daddy can do what he wants to me. Eddie will be all yours, but you have to share him with us. I’d be sad if you didn’t. What do you want to do to Eddie, baby?”

“I wanna make him feel good,” Richie whispered out. He couldn’t feel his fingers. “And I want him to -” he gasped and screwed his face up “- to listen to me.”

“You’re going to be so good with him. If he’s naughty would you punish him? Like how daddy punishes me?” Richie nodded as quickly as he could. “That’s a good boy, Richie. We’re so proud of you. And we’re proud of you for choosing Eddie as well, baby. He’s going to be a good boy too, isn’t he? You’re going to make sure he is.” 

The treat came then and Richie completely relaxed against the bed. It always felt like he was jelly when they finished. His parents lay down beside him and he could tell that they were giving themselves treats as well but he was too tired to really think about it. Sometimes, when he was alert, he liked to watch or help and then play with them afterwards as well. But other times he just wanted to cuddle up and sleep. Like today. 

He fell asleep with a smile on his face. Eddie would be his soon. Fully his. 

It was kind of fun having Eddie over that next Friday. Because their basement was almost done now. Soundproof and locked tightly. There was already a table and a rack of tools, but now there were other things. Like chains attached to the wall and a place to wash their hands and some new tools in a new cabinet. Richie had even helped his parents throughout the week and on the weekend they were adding something that Richie didn’t really understand. All he knew was it was hot and make people disappear. 

Anyway, Eddie. It was funny because Eddie didn’t like violent things; as demonstrated by the many times he had asked to switch movies or games because they were to mean and made him sad. 

Which was kind of annoying because Richie liked those games and wasn’t he supposed to be in charge? But then again, his daddy was in charge and he always did stuff for Maggie, like how he doesn’t eat fish because Maggie hated the smell of it. And that was because they loved each other, so Richie could stop playing certain games. He’d rather Eddie was happy. 

But it was funny because they were building their violent lair while he and Eddie played happy games upstairs. And kissed. Because they kissed all the time. Like, all the time. To the point where Eddie started to get annoyed because he just wanted to play with the ball but Richie wouldn’t let him. 

“Can’t we play catch?” Eddie whined. “I wanna play!” 

Richie, from where he was straddling Eddie pouted down at him. “Why? I like this game!”

“Because,” Eddie said when Richie stopped kissing him. 

“That’s not a good reason.”

“My mommy kept me inside all week, I wanna run around!”

Now, that was a good reason. It was true as well, Eddie had been upset all week because Sonia had kept him inside ever since his trip to the arcade. Something about being sick even though Eddie felt fine. It had annoyed him a lot. Maggie had explained that it was good Eddie was annoyed at his mommy because it would mean a lot more when he was allowed outside at their house on Friday. 

“Okay, but you gotta kiss me again tonight!”

Eddie giggled, “thank you, Rich.” 

“You’re the best!” 

They got up from the ground - Eddie was not allergic, thank you very much - and Richie grabbed a ball and Eddie got one of the handheld nets. It was his favourite game outside, to just run and try to catch the ball and then get to throw it back to Richie. It was everything that he wasn’t allowed to do at home. And Richie was more than happy to give him those experiences. So they played catch and then they decided to see who could get higher on the swing set, even though Eddie didn’t love that game he still went almost as high as Richie. 

“Boys,” Maggie called in while they were setting up the new bowling set Richie had gotten (it was actually for Eddie, but they couldn’t tell him that yet). “Come in and get ready for dinner.”

This was something that Eddie was good at. Cleaning his hands. Both he and Stan were extremely fussy on hygiene and were always very careful to wash properly. Richie had never really cared until Eddie came along, sprouting what sounded like fake numbers of germs that could kill them. Their hands weren’t even that big. Eddie and he raced to the downstairs bathroom and then proceeded to wash together. Richie liked doing this, things he normally did alone but now with Eddie beside him. It just made it ten times better. 

After Eddie was satisfied (Richie thought it was dumb but he still wanted Eddie to be happy so he washed for ages alongside him) they went back into the kitchen to help Maggie set the table. While they were doing this the radio changed from music to the news, and Eddie froze up. It only took Richie a moment to realize that something was wrong. “Eds? Are you okay?” 

“I don’t like that.”

“The news?” Maggie asked as she clicked the radio off. “What’s wrong?”

Eddie looked extremely upset for something that didn’t make much sense. He was staring at the floor when he answered. “It was in the car today and - I didn’t like it.”

“What did he say?” Richie asked. Usually, the news was just really boring, not super upsetting. 

“I don’t know,” Eddie admitted, “but my mommy got angry. She said that they were sinful and it made me sad because I’m not bad! But she thought I was.”

Maggie moved to stand opposite Eddie and knelt down. “No one thinks you're a bad boy, Eddie, you’re the best boy. Now, can you please tell me who’s sinful?” 

“Boys who love boys?”

“That’s a lie!” Richie cried almost before Eddie had finished speaking. “She’s wrong.”

“She is,” Maggie nodded at him before turning back to the now crying and Eddie. “Oh, sweetheart, don't be so sad. Your mommy doesn’t know what it’s like for you. So she can’t know that it’s bad.”

Eddie shook his head. “She said all fags should die.”

“Your mommy is an idiot,” Maggie said firmly. Eddie’s eyes widened. “A hateful idiot. You, my gorgeous boy, do not deserve to die just because you love Richie. I promise.”

“She doesn’t even love anyone, how would she know?”

“I don’t know.”

Maggie wiped the tears from his face. “Eddie, you’re not in trouble but I need to know. Did you tell her that you’re in love with a boy?” 

“No. She was scaring me.”

“Good. I think it’s good that she doesn’t know and I don’t think you should tell her.”

“Ever?”

“Probably not.” Eddie started to calm down. Taking a deep breath before launching himself into Maggie’s arms. Maggie wrapped him up before Richie joined in and started kissing his cheek over and over again causing Eddie to giggle. They stayed like that until Eddie had fully calmed and stopped crying. When he pulled back Maggie kissed him on the other cheek and then, for the first time, on the lips. And then she did the same to Richie. Eddie didn’t look upset at it and Richie loved it so he wasn’t sad either. “Let’s keep it a Tozier secret, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Eddie nodded. 

Richie knocked their shoulders together. “Mommy kisses are a Tozier secret as well.”

“Okay.” A pause. “Do we get daddy kisses as well?”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Murder.

Richie Tozier was good at a few things. One of those things was his job with his mommy and daddy. He’d been doing it since he was super little, from when he could walk and understand that he had to go and tug on someone's leg while crying. It used to be Maggie’s job to get them to the location but now it was all on Richie. And he was really good at it! There had never been a night that he hadn’t done well. Better than his dad sometimes, because they’d make noise and draw attention to them. Tonight was no exception. 

There was a dinner on the outskirts of Derry that Richie liked because they had really nice pies there. They’d gone there that night; one Friday after Eddie had been dropped home to his bad mom (Richie had decided, last week after Eddie asked for daddy kisses that the Toziers were his good parents and Sonia was his bad. No one else objected to the new line of thinking, least of all Eddie). For a slice of pie and then to get their new victim. Because, finally, the basement was finished! 

They were the last customers of the night, the diner closing as they left. Perfect. This was the boring part; sitting in their car and waiting for the right time. Richie always started fidgeting in the back seat. “It’d be more fun if Eds was here.”

“I’m sure,” Maggie replied. She and dad were staring at the diner. 

“Yeah, we’d play and talk. Not like you!”

Went laughed and shook his head. “You’re a rascal.”

“When can Eddie come?”

“He truly is on your mind all the time, isn’t he?” Maggie asked. Richie nodded his head as quickly as possible. Every thought he had was about Eddie now. “Soon, Richie. I feel like I say that a lot.” 

The back door of the diner opened and the lady they were waiting for stepped out. She had been their server and had pretty red hair and Richie thought kind of looked like blood. As soon as Went had seen her he had decided that she was one. Around her neck, she had a key on a string that made a fun clinking sound as she walked around. Eddie would like something like that. Maybe Richie could make him something. The lady was smoking when she came out - gross - and wasn’t on her phone - good - and wasn’t wearing the uniform anymore. 

Richie’s time to shine then. He hopped out of the car and let his dad mess up his hair. He started to fake cry, something he was super good at, and was off. The lady was still by the back door when Richie reached her. Sometimes he had to act really well, other times they came if he just pulled on their pant leg. It all depended on the person. His dad said that in time he’d be able to tell just by looking but right now he had to guess and then try again. 

“Please!” He cried as miserable as he could, crashing into her side. “I need help!” 

“What’s wrong?”

“A man came and hurt them,” he grabbed her hand and started pulling. She came along easily. “You need to help us!”

“I’ll call the po-” Went had grabbed her before she could finish. Wrapping her up quickly and shoving her into the trunk as Richie got in his seat. 

That was a fun part and Richie enjoyed it but the best part was coming. After the drive home, through town, with a lady in the back. That was fun too, though, because no one knew about the lady. Only they did, which Richie loved. Tozier secrets were his favourite things. And these secrets were the best ones. Because they were going to go home and she would be the first person in their new basement. 

Richie had ideas for her already. He’d had time to think because they hadn’t been able to play for so long. There were so many things. Like he could get his daddy to tie her upside for the whole day to see if Bill was right (he said your head would explode) or he could do lots of little tiny cuts because Stan said they were worse than one big one (everyone had agreed with him). Her hair was what was fascinating him though. It was so bright and different, Richie wanted to play with it. Richie wanted to hurt her. 

And so he would. 

They tied her up against the wall, her hands over her head and feet apart on the floor. She was crying which Richie liked because it made him feel important. He’d made her cry. He’d done that. What would it be like, he thought as she sobbed, to make Eddie cry? Would Richie feel happy like he did now or would he be upset because it was Eddie who was crying and Richie loved Eddie? Maybe he’d feel both at the same time. 

For a brief moment, Richie thought about bringing Eddie down here. Tying him up like this lady or on the table. Thought about how he’d be so confused and scared and he’d definitely cry. Maybe he’d say ‘Richie, please!’ and Richie could laugh or give him a kiss and tell him it would be okay. Richie could hurt him, use the tools on him (he’d clean them for Eddie, though) and make him look all messed up. Or he could only act like he was going to hurt him, but never actually do it. Only make Eddie think that he was going to.

He could put a gag in his mouth and leave him down here for days. Visiting whenever he felt like it. Coming down and kissing Eddie before drawing a love heart with a knife. He could carve his own name on Eddie’s chest so that he would never ever ever forget about Richie Tozier as long as he lived. And everyone else would know that Eddie completely belonged to Richie. Because he did. 

But then again, Richie really liked playing video games and outside with Eddie. And they couldn’t do that if Eddie was tied up down here. Even when Richie let Eddie go he probably wouldn’t want to play games with Richie anymore. So there was no point in tying him up down here when he could play fun and light games up there. And besides, didn’t Richie desperately want Eddie to be the one beside him, holding out a knife? Yes. And that couldn’t happen if Eddie was the one tied to the wall like the red-headed lady. 

“Maggie, please, I have a daughter!”

“Shh, you’re being too loud.”

“Please! Think about -” a gag was shoved into her mouth by Went as Maggie dragged over the new wheely table they had. On it were a whole lot of needles. The lady kept struggling and yelling through the cloth in her mouth. It was funny for Richie to watch from his seat on the stairs. 

Maggie held up one of the needles, inspecting it, before sticking into the lady’s arm. She didn’t go fast like other times, but slowly and carefully. Richie cocked his head to the side as he watched her do it. The lady was still crying. Went tried next, picking up a longer needle and sticking it deeper into her thigh. She wasn’t bleeding a whole lot; the holes were small and clogged up because of the needle still embedded in it. That was kind of annoying, Richie wanted to see blood on the red-head! 

When they’d each done ten Richie got to have his turn. He was handed a needle and like a knife, he jammed it into her side. It snapped in half instantly and she didn’t even react to the impact. Rude. He went to pick up another one when his dad stopped him. 

“You’ve got to be gentle.”

“Slowly,” Maggie said and handed the second one. 

Richie did as he was told, slowly pushing into her side. It was fun to watch it disappear slowly, sure, but it wasn’t that exciting. She wasn’t screaming or begging and there was no real mess anywhere. She kind of looked like a porcupine and that was pretty cool. “I wanna make her bleed. To match her hair.”

Went ruffled his hair, Richie whining as he did it. “You can make her bleed when we’re done.”

“These are bor-ing!”

“We’re old,” Maggie laughed. “Boring in nice.” 

“Eddie and I will never be boring. We’ll always be super cool and awesome.”

“I bet,” Maggie replied. 

Richie stuck his tongue out. “You’ll see.” 

On Monday morning Richie waited by the tree for Eddie like every morning. They’d meet up there and then go to find Bill and Stan who rode their bikes together. It was their routine and Richie really liked it. So why, when Eddie was always first because he liked being early, was Eddie not at the tree three minutes before the bell was supposed to go? He waited until the very last minute when he had to come to terms with the fact that Eddie wasn’t coming to school. 

He sulked into class, sitting down beside Bill and Stan who realized what was happening straight away and started to look sad too. They weren’t as sad as Richie though. Eddie probably wasn’t even sick and Sonia was just being crazy or something. So unfair. Mainly for Eddie of course but it sucked for Richie as well. His best friend and soulmate, who he hadn’t seen in two whole days, wasn’t there. Richie pouted. 

“Before class starts,” their teacher (who Richie did actually like) said. “We have to explain something that is very sad and a little sad. If you’re worried you can come and talk to me, okay? One of the mommy’s from the other class died over the weekend. It sounds scary but I promise that it’s not. So if you see Beverly in school this week you can give her a hug because she will be sad right now, okay?”

Beverly. Beverly Marsh. Richie knew her from his limited time in the other class. She had bright red hair and - oh. Richie had killed Beverly’s mommy over the weekend. It had been Richie to lure her to the car. He’d stuck needles into her side and then he was allowed to make her face and chest all bloody so that it would match her hair. Match Beverly’s hair as well. The lady had known Maggie and had said that she had a daughter. 

Which means Maggie had lied to Richie. 

Maggie had said that none of their victims had children and that they never would. She had promised him that. But the red-headed lady had a child. And Maggie definitely knew that because of Richie being in Beverly’s class. They lied! It made Richie’s head spin to even think about. His parents never lied to him. Why would they lie about this? Was it so he would stop asking because that wasn’t nice. He was just worried about the other kids and what would happen to -

What would happen to Beverly? Did she have a dad? Would she be sent away? Would she ever forget that her mommy was killed? And they’d never find out who did it because they never did. Richie felt sick. He’d been the cause of that and whatever happened to Beverly would be his fault, right? Could Richie handle that? He didn’t think that he could. 

This wasn’t okay. His parents had lied! 

The next thing Richie was actually aware of was his mother crouching down in front of him in the school office. He jumped in fright, not knowing how he got there or why she was there. A lair. Maggie said something to the lady behind the desk and helped Richie stand up before getting his bag. She led him out in silence. Richie couldn’t look back at the school. What if he saw Beverly? 

She didn’t speak until they were in the car. “Eddie’s not here for one day and I need to come and get you. You’re really whipped.”

“The red-headed lady has a daughter.”

“I know.”

“You said that none of them have children. She did.”

“I didn’t want to scare you.”

Richie didn’t like that. “I’m not scared. You lied to me.”

“I’m sorry, Richie. It was a silly mistake. Yes, some of the people we take have children.”

“Whatever happens to Beverly is my fault now.”

Maggie shook her head. “That’s not how it works.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. You can trust me, Richie. But can you answer this for me? Would you rather be able to play or would you rather stop because people might get sad?”

For all that worrying, the answer was shockingly easy to say.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you guess who it was before the reveal?


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eddie's POV
> 
> Tw: standard affair + detailed description of emotional child-abuse described by Eddie.

All Eddie wanted to do was go to school, see his friends and Richie and have fun. Easy, right? Normal. 

But no, he wasn’t allowed to do that. He had to stay in his room and his bed all day because his mommy didn’t like how pale Eddie looked. And he had checked in the mirror, he wasn’t even that pale and he certainly didn’t feel sick. Richie always said that Sonia was a liar and a bitch and Eddie had to agree. He just wanted to go to school! Richie would be upset that he wasn’t there which made everything a whole lot worse. 

Maggie never made Richie stay home when he wanted to go to school. She let him do whatever he wanted all the time. Why didn’t Sonia do that with Eddie? Why couldn’t Eddie have a nice mommy like Richie did all the time instead of only when he was at the Toziers? 

So here Eddie was, sitting on his bed by himself at ten am. His mommy had gone out already, leaving him home alone. Eddie didn’t like to admit it but he was a little bit scared, his house was noisy and it sounded like someone was walking around. Sonia had left at half nine and said that she wouldn’t be back until two o’clock. Which meant that Eddie was going to be alone all day. 

Or, maybe not. His mommy would be angry. Really angry. But only if she found out about it, and Eddie was already good at keeping secrets from her. Maggie and Went said that he was better at it then Richie was because Richie kept telling Eddie things. Richie had argued that they were soulmates (Eddie went all warm when Richie said that) so it was fine for Eddie to be told. Anyway, Eddie was a good liar so she wouldn’t find out and then he wouldn’t be alone in his house. And that was definitely a good thing. 

He slipped out of bed, already breaking her rules, and went downstairs to where their home phone was. Richie, Bill and Stan didn’t have home phones in their houses but Sonia did and today was the only day that Eddie was thankful his mommy was so strange. And it was so old that his mommy wouldn’t be able to see the call history on it so she couldn’t check to see if he used it. 

Maggie had made him memorise her number. Just in case. At the time it had been boring when Eddie really wanted to play but right now it was such a good thing. He punched it and waited, practically bouncing on his feet. Finally: “Maggie Tozier speaking, how can I help?” 

This was a bad idea. Eddie was going to get in so much trouble - but he wasn’t going to be alone. But what if Maggie hated him because of it? Called him a baby because he didn’t want to be alone? Told Richie they weren’t soulmates and they couldn’t be friends.

“Hello?”

Eddie felt like he was going to start crying. “Hi, Maggie.”

“Eddie?” Maggie sounded a little shocked, but not angry. In the background, he could hear someone else saying his name. Which was strange, seeing as Richie would be at school and Went at work. “Are you okay, darling?”

“I-I’m sorry.”

“What for?” 

“Calling? I just don’t want to be alone. I’m scared.”

There was a small pause before she spoke again. “You’re alone right now? At home?”

“Yeah. Mommy’s out until two-thirty. But my house is scary, Maggie. I don’t like being here alone.”

“I’m so sorry to hear that, darling, what do you need from me?”

“I don’t know. Just wanted to talk to you.”

Maggie made a little humming noise and then when she spoke it sounded like she was smiling. “Tell you what, I’ve got Richie in the car with me so why don’t I come and get you, and we can do something together.”

“Really?” 

“Truly. And we’ll have you back by two so your mommy doesn’t even know. How does that sound?” 

“You’re the best mommy ever!” 

She laughed a little bit and in the background, Richie was cheering. “We’ll see you soon, Eddie. Go and put a pillow under your blanket so it looks like someone is sleeping in your bed just in case and then meet us outside.”

“See you soon.”

“Love you, Eddie.”

“I love you too, Maggie.” 

Later on, when Sonia came home, Eddie was sitting in his bed like nothing had happened.

“Hello, Eddie-bear,” she said when she walked into his room at three-fifteen. Late. “How are you feeling now?”

“Much better, mommy.”

“That’s good. What did you do today, then?” Sonia asked it, expecting one answer. Eddie answered it with a lie. He’d stayed in bed, rested and read some comics. But he hadn’t done that at all. Maggie had taken him and Richie to the movies, had snuck them into R13 with popcorn and ice creams before taking them to the park and letting them do whatever they wanted. No rules. Eddie could climb on the tower and swing as high as possible on the swings and Richie was allowed to spin them on the merry-go-round and Maggie didn’t yell at them to slow down. And then he and Richie kissed a whole lot in the back of the car while Maggie talked on the phone outside about something super important that they weren’t allowed to know about. It was a really great day. And, to be honest, it was made better knowing it was a Tozier secret. 

Sonia patted Eddie’s head. “I’m glad you rested. My good boy.”

‘No,’ Eddie wanted to yell at her. ‘Not yours!’

On Tuesday Eddie went back to school. When he went downstairs in the morning he made sure that he looked well and happy, just in case. But Sonia didn’t put up an argument, especially when Eddie ate her gross breakfast. The ride to school seemed to go on forever and as soon as the car stopped Eddie was jumping out, waving goodbye. He did not want his mommy to take him back home. Quicker he was away from her the better. 

He stood by the tree, like every other morning, waiting for Richie. Luckily he wasn’t long, Maggie pulling up and waving at Eddie after Richie got out of the car and was running over to him. He waved back happily, Maggie was the best person that Eddie knew. Maybe aside from Richie. She was kind and funny and loved Eddie, and really that was all that Eddie wanted. Maggie never failed to give it to him. 

Richie hugged him when he got to the tree, and Eddie hugged back just as tight. Like every morning. “You’ll never guess what happened last night!”

“What?” Eddie asked and they started walking. Richie, before answering, took Eddie’s bag from him and refused to give it back. 

“Mom and dad said, that because I’m big now, that they’re going to convince Sonia to let you stay the night on Fridays!” 

“My mommy will say no.”

“Mommy is super good at getting people to do what she wants.”

Eddie shrugged, “that’d be super cool if I can.”

“Yeah. I know. Oh, and mommy gave me a sandwich to give to you today because we had like no treats in the house which is so unfair. Like, I want a muffin, you know?” Richie continued to talk about there being no treats in the house which went on to that his parents were busy all last night and he was so bored. Eddie wasn’t really listening though, he was enough to know what Richie was saying but it wasn’t absorbing. Because Eddie was thinking about the sandwich.

Maggie always gave Richie a treat. Richie said he’d been getting them since he was little and still at home. Eddie never got treats. His mommy said they’d rot your brain and melt your teeth but Went was a dentist and he didn’t mind. Plus all the Tozier’s told Eddie that his mommy was a liar and not to be trusted. Which left Eddie jealous of Richie’s treats but then, kinda out of nowhere, Richie was giving him treats. At first, Eddie had thought they were Richie’s but then he realized that there were always two of them. And when he had asked, shyly that is, Richie had confirmed that they were for him. 

It had made him feel very odd. No one did things like that for Eddie. Sometimes it felt like his mommy didn’t even like him all that much. She would say things that made him sad or make him stay in his room so she didn’t have to see him. Maggie and Went never did things like that to him or to Richie. Or maybe they did, it wasn’t like Eddie was always at the Tozier’s household. 

He could ask Richie. Richie always asked him questions. And Maggie had said that Eddie could ask anything if he was confused. But that was about mommy and daddy kisses, did it apply for this? Richie had never been made at him before. Even yesterday, when he had called Richie’s mommy, Richie had seemed happy about it if anything. So he probably wouldn’t be mad if Eddie asked. 

“Rich?” Eddie finally said. They were sitting in their classroom by the time he got the confidence to open his mouth. Stan and Bill still weren’t there so it was okay to ask now.

“Yeah, Eds?”

“Does your mommy or daddy ever like, make you feel really sad?”

Richie shook his head making his glasses slide down his nose, Eddie pushed them back for him, “no. Why - does yours?” 

“Sometimes, I guess.”

“Here,” he handed Eddie a pen and his notebook. “Write down what your mommy does to you.”

“Why?”

“Mommy said that we should keep track. She’ll be super happy if we do this.”

Eddie looked at the pen. “Can you write it? You spell better than I do.”

“Sure, you are a bad speller. What does she do?”

“Well,” Eddie looked at the table instead of Richie’s warm face. He didn’t look mad, or annoyed. He may have seemed a little worried but that was it. Eddie could do this if it meant Maggie would be happy. “She locks me in my room after school every day. I can’t leave until she comes to get me for dinner and it makes me scared. She always tells me not to lock the door in case there’s a fire but then she does it. Or if I’m homesick she locks me in for the whole day. And sometimes I’m not allowed to have any breakfast or dinner because she says I’m getting too big. When I shower she watches me incase I ‘sin’ but I don’t know what that means but I don’t like it at all. And if I complain then I’m not allowed to shower at all. She says things that make me sad as well.”

When Eddie stopped Richie tipped his head up by tapping his chin. “You’re very brave, Eds.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Yeah, you are. What does she say?” 

“That I’m not a good son because I don’t love her. Because I don’t let her do whatever she wants. Or when I want to go out she says I hate her and I’m going to kill her one day because of my friends. But mainly because of you. It scares me. A few times she said she wished I died and not my daddy because he wasn’t a burden on her like I am. I don’t like that one either. And if I cry she sends me to my room because it annoys her too much.” 

Eddie stopped, shrugging when he finished. Richie put the pen down and folded the paper, putting it in his pocket, before pulling Eddie into a giant hug. Eddie rested his head on Richie’s shoulder and let himself be hugged. “You are the bravest and most amazing person that I know. I love you, Eddie.”

It had been a long time since Eddie felt so happy inside. “I love you too, Richie.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you like Eddie's POV/would you want more? It was fun to write. 
> 
> From now on the story takes places of several years so I will write the ages of the boys in the first note just so it's a little less confusing.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: underage sex
> 
> Ages: they're both 6 and have known each other for around 5 months. It's Christmas their first year of school, I don't know how American schools work so I assumed.

Richie turned 6 in October, exactly a month before Eddie, and then they were heading into the Christmas break. It had been almost 5 months since they had met each other, become best friends and also soulmates. Fallen in love and spent every school day as well as every Friday night and Saturday morning together. And Richie was really annoyed at his parents for one simple reason. 

They would not let Richie do anything other than kiss Eddie. 

It was ridiculous. They still had loads and loads of playtime, just the three of them, but Eddie was never allowed. And Richie wasn’t allowed to play with just Eddie either. He still had no idea about that Tozier secret (or the other one but Richie didn’t mind waiting a bit longer for Eddie to know about it). Honestly, it was getting to be ridiculous. They were six for crying out loud! For almost three months Eddie spent a night a week in Richie’s bed but they weren’t allowed to play! Richie just couldn’t understand it.

But then, finally, Maggie and Went agreed to let Richie and Eddie play. 

Maggie had it already planned out. Christmas was on a Wednesday, and Eddie was coming for his last sleepover on the Friday before it. Then he was going to stay with his aunts until the new year, which no one was happy about aside from the Kaspbrak ladies. Anyway, on that Friday they’d exchange gifts (Maggie had taken Eddie and Went had taken Richie shopping for each other), watch a movie, have dinner and then Richie could take Eddie and do whatever they wanted; but Eddie had to like it too. 

And that was happening tonight. Any minute now and Eddie would be in their house, opening presents and then, later on, they’d have the best night ever. Richie just knew it was going to be amazing. 

At half-past five, late, Sonia pulled up and Richie watched from the open front door as Eddie jumped out of the car to race up the drive. Maggie waved at Sonia who just drove away. An annoyed look on her face. She never liked it when Eddie came over to the Tozier’s house, Richie had no idea how his mommy had convinced her to let him. Oh well, he was here and who cares about Sonia and her annoyed face? 

“Merry Christmas!” Richie pounced on Eddie as soon as the door was closed. Wrapping him up and kissing all over his face.

Giggling, Eddie pushed at him but Richie didn’t let Eddie move him. “You’re so gross!”

“Say it back!”

“Merry Christmas!” Eddie cried, still laughing when Richie finally pulled back. “Hi, Richie.”

“Hi, Eds. We’ve got so many presents!”

Went came over to them, picking Eddie up and forcing Richie to let go of him. Eddie squealed when his feet left the ground and laughed when Went put him on his hip like a baby. He kissed him, only once, before pulling away. Eddie smiled softly and rested his head on Went’s shoulder. Richie really, really, liked watching Eddie interact with his parents like that. “How was your day, Eddie?” 

“Mommy’s angry at me.”

“That’s no good,” Maggie said, “do you know why?”

“Because I was more excited to come here than my aunties house. Their house smells weird.” 

“I bet it does,” Went replied as they all moved into the living room. Their tree, which Richie and Eddie had decorated last week, was practically covered in the number of presents under it. Eddie, seeing all of them, let out a little gasp. The week before they had only put down a few and then, just so Eddie would get a shock, they had put out the rest that morning. There were definitely more than Richie was used to, but that made sense. There were more Toziers now. “Now, Eddie, should we do presents now or later?”

Eddie didn’t take his eyes off the tree. “Now!” 

“Well then,” he put Eddie down, “go and sit beside Richie.” Eddie did as he was told, squishing in beside Richie who was already on an armchair. Maggie perched on their coffee table and Went sat on the sofa. 

There were a lot of presents to get through, and Maggie purposely drew it out for them. It had been decided a few weeks ago that the Toziers would celebrate Christmas with Eddie and then on Wednesday they’d go and see extended family (who, really, weren’t actually Toziers according to Richie). Because they didn’t want to celebrate it without Eddie, and Maggie had said something else about making it the best Christmas for Eddie but that didn't matter so long as he was actually there. 

So Maggie and Went opened their presents as well, including the ones that Richie and Eddie had got them. It had taken them forever to get it sorted out, especially seeing as they couldn’t get help from either adult. It wasn’t like Sonia would be willing to lend a hand, considering the present were a whole lot of new family photos - now with Eddie in them as well. 

“These are so pretty!” Maggie said as she and Went looked through them. There was one of just Eddie, two of Eddie and Richie, one with Maggie and Eddie and then Eddie and Went as well as three full family photos. “You guys did so well!”

“Is this why you two rascals made me wait in the car at Michaels?” Went asked but he was staring at the photo of him and Eddie when he asked and didn’t sound mad at all. 

“We needed the frames,” Richie nodded. 

“Do you like them?” Eddie asked, “because Richie said you’d want to put them up but I don’t mind if you don’t.”

Maggie and Went had been quick to reassure him that they absolutely wanted them up around the house. And that whenever they took new photos as a family Eddie would always be in them. Eddie looked extremely happy at the outcome. Even happier when one of the old family photos was replaced on the fireplace by the family photo with Eddie before they moved onto the next present. 

Eddie then opened his from Richie (a new set of legos, a huge pack of colouring pencils and a lamp that projected the stars, all of which was to be kept at the Toziers). Then Richie opened his from Eddie (a new non-scary video game, three pairs of weirdly designed socks and walkie-talkies). They hugged a whole, declaring each other to be the best at picking presents. 

Which was almost overthrown by what Maggie and Went had gotten them. Maggie spoke to them before handing them the first box “A lot of this is for sharing and all of this stuff is going to be kept here, which isn’t fair on Eddie, so the rule is that Richie can’t use anything unless Eddie’s here. Understand?” 

“Yup.”

“I don’t mind if Richie plays with them.”

Went ruffled his hair. “You’re so sweet, Eddie. Such a good boy.”

“I don’t want to play if I can’t play with you, Eds, that’s boring.”

Eddie had never gotten so many presents at once. He didn’t even think he’d gotten that many presents in his entire life put together. And he told them all that, after they opened everything. New scooters, a baseball set and a sprinkler. New books and science kits as well as action figures and video games. Eddie, when all the presents were opened, burst into tears. 

Richie was the first to hug him, his parents joining in. “What’s wrong, Eds?” 

“It’s too much,” Eddie muttered. “I’m not worth it.” 

“That is not true, Eddie. I promise,” Maggie said sternly. 

“Your worth so so so much!” Richie said, holding Eddie’s head so that he was forced to look at Richie. 

Maggie nodded, “don’t listen to your mom, Eddie. You’re the best.”

“Besides, we’ve got another present for you,” Went said causing Eddie to frown.

Jumping away from the hug, Richie nodded. “It’s for me as well but I already know what it is, it’s in my room.” He grabbed Eddie by the hand and pulled him to the stairs, Maggie and Went following along behind. When they got to the door Richie covered Eddie’s eyes and led him inside. “We did it this morning for tonight. It took forever but it looks so cool now. Look, isn’t it amazing? And it’s all for us!”

The room had been completely rearranged and in place of Richie’s old single bed was a new, double bed. 

“Isn’t it awesome?” Richie asked, immediately running and jumping onto it. Eddie did the same after a moment. The two of them lying side by side in the middle of the, frankly, huge bed. “We still gotta cuddle though.”

“I love it! You guys are the best!”

Later on, after a Christmas movie and dinner and dessert, Richie and Eddie were back in the bedroom. 

Richie could feel the nerves settling in his stomach. He was hardly ever nervous, always too excited to be. But today it was not the case. What if he didn’t know what to do and Eddie didn’t feel all gooey inside? He and his dad had practised and Went had promised that Richie was really good and that Eddie would love it. But what if Eddie actually just hated it so much? Because Sonia had taught him that kissing and touching other boys was bad. Or sometimes people say that kids shouldn’t do this kind of thing. But they were so wrong! 

“Today was amazing, Richie.”

“It was. I love Christmas.”

“This was the best Christmas I’ve ever had.”

Eddie flopped onto the bed, feet still on the floor. Richie smiled at him, “next year will be good too.” 

“We’ll still be friends next year?” 

“Of course,” Richie replied as he pulled his shirt off, getting it stuck at one point. “We’re soulmates so we have to be.” 

“Oh yeah.” Eddie sat up to look at Richie, pouting sweetly when he noticed that Richie wasn’t getting into their PJs (of which they now had two different matching sets thanks to Maggie and Went, both boys loved the idea of it). His pout deepened when Richie pulled at the bottom of Eddie’s transformer top up. “I - Richie? What are you doing? We’re going to bed now?”

Instead of answering Richie tugged on the top until Eddie relented. “You know how we’re soulmates, right?” Eddie nodded at the question. Richie kissed his pouting lips before continuing on. Went had told him what to say. He knew what he was doing. “Soulmates have these fun games they get to play, games that we haven’t played yet. And I play them with mommy and daddy a whole lot but it’s a huge Tozier secret. Like, the second biggest secret we have. So it’s a big deal that I’m telling you this. Can you promise to keep it a secret?”

“Yes, I promise.”

“Take your pants off.”

“Richie?”

Richie took his own pants off. And then tugged Eddie’s off as well, who was looking kind of scared at it all. Which was not part of the plan. He lent down and kissed Eddie’s forehead, promising “it’s a really nice game. Lay down on the bed now.” 

“I don’t wanna play this game.”

“I’ve been waiting to play this game for months. I wanna play really bad. And I promise that you’re going to love it so much. I do.”

“Do Maggie and Went know?”

Richie nodded, “yeah. They’re excited for us.”

“Does it hurt?”

“It feels really nice.”

Eddie lay down in the middle of the bed. It was their first time being naked around each other for any extended period of time. And it was actually a bit weird. Eddie was looking up at Richie with his eyes wide and that alone made Richie feel tingly inside. Okay, then it was time if he was feeling that way. But first, he had to kiss Eddie, because that is how you started the games. 

And then, when Eddie (and Richie to be fair) was a bit more relaxed, Richie moved. His dad had told him what to do and how to do it. It was simple really: use only his hands the first time, because then he could talk to Eddie while he did it. He was to tell Eddie that he was being good and to not stop until Eddie finished. Then, and only then, was he allowed to make Eddie return the favour. Which he would have to walk Eddie through completely because he would have no idea how to do it. 

So that’s what Richie did. Getting Eddie all the way to the goey stage and then getting him to kneel on the floor to make Richie feel good. And as Went said, Eddie had absolutely no idea what to do. And Richie kind of loved that. Richie gave him basic tasks, like how to hold it and how to move his hands to make it amazing. Eddie was a quick learner. And Richie was a good teacher. Kissing him when he looked uncomfortable and telling him that he was being so good. That he was doing well. That he was doing his job. 

“Did you like it?” Richie asked when they were laying naked under the blanket. The star lamp was set up and spinning but the room was dark. Eddie turned so he could cuddle into Richie’s side, which was how he liked to sleep every time he was over. Richie loved it too, especially now. “Eds? What did you think?”

“I dunno.”

“Come on, Eds, tell!” 

“I,” he muttered into Richie’s chest. “I liked it a lot.”

“Good.”

Eddie hummed, “are you going to tell?”

“Mommy and daddy? Yeah, we’re gonna tell them tomorrow and they’re going to be super proud of us.” 

“Are you going to keep playing with them?”

“Yup, and you can start playing with them as well! It’s really fun.”

That seemed to shock Eddie. “We’re all gonna do that? Like me and them and you?” 

“Well, of course, you’re a proper Tozier now!”


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They're 6 1/2 and are coming to the end of their first year at school.

April 15th is not like every other Friday. 

Maggie picks both boys up, like every other Friday, drives them home and then they run off to play. There’s a tension in the air though. Because Sonia is coming over for dinner. 

It’ll be the first time that she’s spent any length of time with the Toziers. Sure, she’s talked to them before. Especially Maggie. But that was about playdates and arranging pickups. She doesn’t exactly get along with any of them. Richie and Eddie had been friends for about 8 months now but she still hadn’t been into the house where her son spends every Friday night and Tuesday afternoon.

Richie still has no idea how Maggie got Sonia to agree to Tuesday play dates as well as Friday sleepovers. His mommy’s the best. That he knew. 

They’ve only got a few hours of freedom left. Only a few hours to get everything in order for Sonia’s arrival. Maggie had told them that they had to make sure the house was Sonia-approved, just in case. Which meant that the family photos had to come down, the bookcase moved to cover the basement door, the bikes and out-door toys put in the shed, all of Eddie’s things hidden in Richie’s room. 

“I’m home,” Went called as soon as the door was open. Richie was on him almost instantly, shoving a math test with a large 20/20 across the top of it in his face. “Well, look at that. I have a genius as a son.” 

“Yeah, and Eds got 16 which is way better than his test last month.”

“Two geniuses then.”

Eddie giggled from the doorway. He and Maggie had been in the kitchen, claiming to be cooking when really they were just messing around. Maggie smiled at her husband, “and how was your day?”

“Long. Better now I’m here with you guys,” he kissed Richie before heading to the other two and doing the same. It was how he greeted them every day. Eddie, of course, included on the days he was at the house. After kissing Maggie hello, Went sighed. “But now we’ve got to get through this shit show of a dinner. Why is she even coming over?” 

“Because she’s Eddie’s mother,” Maggie rolled her eyes. “Even if we all know he’s my baby now.” 

Richie stuck his tongue out at her, “he’s my baby.”

“Oh hush! We’ve all got to be on our best behaviour, don’t we Richie?” 

“Yeah, mommy. I know! It doesn’t matter anyway.”

Eddie giggled again. “That’s true. She doesn’t like any of you. But she doesn’t like me either.” 

“Your mommy is an idiot,” Went replied. “You’re the best.”

“I don’t care about it that much,” Eddie shrugged. 

Maggie ruffled his hair. “You two run and get changed. She’ll be here any minute.” 

“God help us,” Went muttered as Eddie and Richie ran up to their bedroom. 

Not ten minutes later Richie and Eddie were being called back downstairs because Sonia had pulled up. They went into the living room, Richie spinning Eddie around in time to the music causing him to laugh, and waited there. Just before she got out of the car, Richie stole a long kiss. He knew he wasn’t allowed to do things like that when she was around. Sonia took her time to get out of the car and to the door but then she was inside the Tozier household. It felt odd to have her there; Richie didn’t like it very much. 

Maggie greeted her kindly. Welcoming her to the house and complimenting her dress (even Richie knew that dress was ugly even when everyone said his shirts were ugly (they weren’t)). Sonia’s smile was tight, uncomfortable. Richie found that he quite liked the idea of Sonia being uncomfortable. The idea that she felt unease around them, for whatever reason, was a welcomed thought for him. Unless, of course, it meant she didn’t want Eddie around them either. That just wouldn’t do at all. 

“Hi, mommy,” Eddie waved as Richie also called out his greeting. 

“Hi, Eddie-bear. Hello Richie,” Sonia replied shortly. Richie sent Eddie a Look and Eddie had to duck his head so his mom didn’t see him laughing. Richie loved it so much when he could make Eddie laugh. “Thank you for having us over tonight,” she continued without a tone change. No one mentioned the fact that Eddie was over every Friday. Went and Maggie just said it was their pleasure before everyone moved towards the living room. 

Now, Richie wasn’t the most socially aware child. He tended to make jokes at the wrong time and got in trouble most days at school. But he wasn’t an idiot, not at all (in fact he was the best at math and reading in their class when he could sit still). So while often he couldn’t read the room; tonight he most definitely could. Maybe it was so easy to read because it was so tense. Because it was tense. No one was speaking and even Richie knew that now was not the time to make a silly joke or do a made-up voice he had been practising. 

Eddie looked just as uncomfortable. Richie couldn’t blame him. This whole thing had to be worse for him. Sonia was Eddie’s real mom who was interacting with the lady that Eddie actually saw as his mother. And Richie knew that whatever happened tonight, Sonia would find the negative and use it against Eddie as soon as they were alone tomorrow. It put pressure on all of them. No one wanted Sonia to get angry at Eddie. No one wanted Sonia to get annoyed at the Toziers and block contact. If this was how Eddie felt when he was with his mom no wonder he was always so stressed and tense. 

Finally, Maggie speaks; “how was the church bake sale? I know it happened after school today?”

“How did you know about it?” Sonia asked. The way she said ‘you’ made Richie felt weird like she meant something else by it. 

“Sharon Denbrough helps to organise all those kinds of things. We had Bill over on Tuesday and she was telling me about it,” Maggie explained. Richie wasn’t used to hearing his mommy talk like that. It was the soft way she talked to him and Eddie but it wasn’t the harsh way she talked to their playthings either. Somewhere in between. 

“Ah yes, Eddie told me he was here. They’re a very nice family. Expecting their second any day now.”

Richie did know that; Bill was very excited about his new baby brother to be born. “He’s going to be called Georgie.”

“Is that so?” Went asked his son. Richie and Eddie nodded. 

“Did William tell you that?” Sonia asked. They both nodded again. “Interesting, not a very biblical name.”

Eddie looked confused so when Sonia and Went started talking about something boring Richie lent over and asked why. “I did this thing at church where we found out about people with our names. No Edward.” 

“Your mommy is just crazy.” 

“Yeah, I know that.”

“Just letting you know. Just in case you had forgotten,” Richie shrugged, still very much in Eddie’s personal space. Not thinking anything of it because why would he? Eddie laughed and pushed Richie away from him. Flicking his glasses when they fell down slightly causing Richie to scrunch up his nose. Sonia narrowed her eyes at the interaction but didn’t say anything. Maggie pursed her lips before distracting her guest again. Ideas circulating in her head. 

They were sitting at the table, eating pizza. But it wasn’t a nice pizza. The base was made out of cauliflower and the cheese was dairy-free and there was no pepperoni on top. Richie was very disappointed. Even if he knew why they were eating gross dinner and that they weren’t allowed desert until after Sonia left. Maggie had explained it all to him at the supermarket yesterday. Sonia didn’t let Eddie eat yummy things, but she was allowed to eat them. They knew that because Eddie had been upset about it a few weeks before, how she was allowed ice cream but he wasn’t (even though he knew he wasn’t allergic). 

So Maggie went to the store and bought everything that Eddie was supposed to be eating instead of their normal Friday dinner. Gross. But, and this was important, they were going to eat gross food because it would annoy Sonia. Richie could get over the weird cheese if it meant Sonia was going to be unhappy. Went had said she was being petty, Maggie had said she was making sure Sonia thought they were treating Eddie how she wanted him treated. 

“Eddie, did you tell your mommy about the maths test?” Maggie asked, breaking the silence that had enveloped them. Even Richie hadn’t made any dumb comment. Eddie shook his head and Maggie smiled at him sweetly, “you did so well on it!”

“I got sixteen out of twenty,” Eddie told his mom. 

“What for?”

“My times-table test.” 

Sonia nodded, “that’s not bad.”

“I got twelve last time. My teacher said it was the best improvement in the class. Richie’s been helping me with it after school.”

“What did you get, Richie?” Sonia asked. Eddie looked down at his plate. Richie answered the question quietly. When Eddie was sad, he was sad. Simple as that. “Perhaps you can keep helping Eddie then. So he can do better than sixteen.”

“He’s really good now,” Richie muttered. If he spoke louder he’d yell and Richie wasn’t allowed to yell at the dinner table. 

Another silence settled on the table. Sonia was eating her pizza, apparently unaware of the Tozier’s state. Very much unaware just how lucky she was to not have a knife sticking out of her neck. Eddie still hadn’t looked up from his plate. Maggie and Went both looked pissed, Went hiding it a hell of a lot better than his wife. And Richie, well Richie was imaging what it would be like to stick the knife into her neck. He thought it would be pretty awesome. Even if her blood was tainted. 

Later on, after a very tense dinner, Sonia was finally leaving the Tozier household. Everyone was glad the night was over. Most of all Eddie, who was very much aware that his family kept glancing at him when his mother wasn’t looking. She kissed Eddie on the forehead before giving polite goodbyes to everyone. She wouldn’t be back until 2 pm the next day. It was the time she always picked him up. Strangely it was also the only time she wasn’t late to something. 

“How are you feeling, Eddie?” Went asked. The three of them were sitting in the living room, Eddie on Richie’s lap and his head tucked into his shoulder. Eddie shrugged, jostling both boys. Went sighed, “yeah. Do you think she was angry?” 

“She was.”

“Why?” Richie asked he started running his hands through Eddie’s hair. Eddie liked that. 

Eddie shrugged again. “Everything, probably. She’s always angry after I come here on Friday’s. Says that I’m dirty.”

“That’s not true,” Went replied, moving to kneel in front of them. “Eddie, listen to me. You’re not dirty or bad or anything like that. You’re perfect for us, do you understand that?” 

“She’s annoyed that Richie did better on the test. I could see it. She’s always annoyed that my grades aren’t as good as his,” Eddie said instead of answering the question. Then he started crying into Richie’s shoulder. Who, in turn, shot his dad a very confused look before rocking Eddie slightly and kissing his temple. Went shook his head and started petting Eddie’s back. After a moment, Eddie sniffled before calming down. 

“What’s wrong?” Went asked, “is it because you didn’t get a great grade? Because we don’t care about that, Eddie. Promise.”

“Mommy cares a whole lot. She says I’m a failure when I can’t do something right. What if you think it too? What if you want me to leave Richie alone because I’m not smart?” 

Both Tozier men’s eyes widened and they were quick to assure Eddie that they would never think that. Richie tilted Eddie’s head up so they made eye contact. “I would kill my parents if they said we couldn’t be friends. Eddie, baby, we’re soulmates.”

“You’re a part of this family,” Went continued. “No matter what. I love you just as much as I love Richie, okay?”

“Okay,” Eddie sniffled and nodded. And then he giggled slightly, Richie poked him. “I - I just thought of my name. I liked it.” 

“Eddie?” Richie asked.

“Eddie Tozier.”

Richie smiled at him, “I like that one too. But Eds Tozier is totally better.”

“Don’t call me that!”


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Ages: Richie just turned 7, Eddie is about to)
> 
> TW: murder.

Everything stays the same. 

Until it really doesn’t.

They go to school, grade 2 now, Eddie comes over on a Friday and stays until after lunch on a Saturday. Bill or Stan and sometimes both often come over as well, because as much as Richie and Eddie love each other, they love their friends too. Eddie is still taken out of school randomly, even if he isn’t actually sick. More often than not he calls Maggie and the two of them do something together so he isn’t alone. Richie and his parents play with people in the basement and out of town. Richie and Eddie play together on Friday nights. It’s just the two of them. Eddie too nervous to try with the adults, no matter what they say. 

It’s November now, Richie is already 7 and Eddie’s about to turn it. Which is awesome, ‘cause 7 is like practically an adult. Like, they’re fully grown at this point. Really, Richie and Eddie should be moving into their house. Went and Maggie do not, apparently, see it that way. Which in itself is super unfair, according to Richie. Who decides to complain about one Saturday morning.

“I mean, it’s better for you,” Richie tries to argue. 

“How?” Maggie asks. She and Eddie are baking; something that Eddie adores. He isn’t allowed to do it at home; both because it’s ‘dangerous’ and because his mommy doesn’t want him doing ‘girly’ things. They do it every weekend, which means Richie is forced to sit at the counter and watch them. Which, yeah, it’s nice but also kind of boring. “I like you being here. You’re my babies.”

“We’re big boys,” Eddie replies, mixing the purple bowl that Maggie had bought for him. 

“Yeah,” Richie nods.

Went laughs, “you’d have to do all of your own laundry.”

“I have an Eddie for that!”

“Hey!” Eddie squeals, turning to pout at Richie. Richie pokes his tongue out, and Eddie does it right back. “I’d miss mommy and daddy too much. I like being here!” 

Richie groans, flinging himself onto the bench dramatically and almost knocking over the eggs. He makes a dramatic face before going back to be overly sad. “Fine. I guess we have to stay here then. Whatever.” 

“Eddie, darling, I love it when you call me Mommy. Did you know that?”

“I did because you always give me a hug when I do!”

“Is that why you call me it? You little rascal, making me all happy just so you can get a hug out of it!”

Eddie giggles as Maggie wraps him up in a hug. “No! That’s not it!”

“He calls Sonia ‘Sonia’ now,” Richie supplied.

“Is that so?” Went asked. “Well done.”

“She's mean. I don’t love her anymore.”

Maggie ruffled his hair. “Poor baby. One day you’ll be here all the time. We’ll move you into Richie’s room full time. Oh, speaking of, there’s a new boy coming to your school on Monday.”

“I bet he’s lame,” Richie said.

“You’re lame.”

“You’re lamer.”

“You’re the lamest.”

“Wow,” Went interrupted them. “You boys have stellar insults. Movie worthy.”

Richie bowed down low, Eddie giggling as he did. “Thank you so much.”

“You’re not funny,” Went muttered. 

“Eds thinks I am.”

“No, I don’t. And don’t call me that!”

“You’re laughing!”

Eddie hid his laughter behind his hands. “No, I’m not!” 

“What is with you two? Go and run around outside, too much energy inside you both! Go on, Eddie, I’ll put this in the oven for you. Cool?”

“You gotta put half a strawberry in the batter.”

“Why?” Richie asked.

“So you eat your fruit!”

Richie giggled and started pulling Eddie away, towards the back door. “Never!” 

The new boy turned out to be in their class. Which was whatever. Richie really couldn’t care less about the kid. Darren or David, or something. He hadn’t paid attention when he was introduced, focused on passing notes with Stan arguing which video game was better. Who cares about some weird city kid whose parents wanted a fresh start? Not fucking Richie, that’s for sure. 

Until Eddie’s name was called. The word ‘Eddie’ had some kind of effect on Richie now. He knew it, his parents knew it, Eddie knew it. Richie looked up to see Eddie nodding at the teacher and the new kid waving towards them. And then he was walking over to them; Richie looked at Stan in confusion who just shrugged back. “Eddie wa-was c-called on to be D-David’s helper while he’s nu-new.”

“Why?” Richie asked. 

“I d-don’t know,” Bill shrugged. “He ju-ust was.”

David sat down at their table, smiling at them all. Stan waved, Bill smiled back. Richie looked at his book. Stupid new kid, sitting at their table and smiling at Eddie. Richie’s Eddie! Their table was at the very back for a reason. They didn’t want anyone else sitting with them in class. And here was this fucker, sitting with them. Richie glared at his book and started ripping up the paper he and Stan had been writing notes on. 

Richie sat in silence all lesson. He sat and watched as Eddie talked to David, feeling anger rising up the entire time. Richie didn’t think he’d ever been as annoyed at someone; maybe aside from Sonia. Eddie was allowed to be friends with Stan and Bill, he didn’t need anyone else. He did not need to talk and smile and laugh with this kid. Break time couldn’t come quick enough. 

“Eds, come on,” Richie said when he didn’t get up when the bell went. Stan and Bill were already gone. Leaving and expecting the others to follow. “I’ve got those strawberry muffins that you made for us.”

“Strawberry muffins?” David asked. Richie saw red.

“Yeah,” Eddie nodded with a soft smile. No one should be allowed to see that smile aside from Richie. “I made some with mo- Richie’s mommy.”

“That’s so cool. Are they yummy?” 

Eddie looked over to Richie, clearly expecting him to answer the question. Richie grinned at him, pressed a big kiss onto Eddie’s check and declared; “they’re not as yummy as you, Eddie-baby!” 

“You’re so gross!” Eddie giggled. Richie felt a little better then. David knew that Eddie was Richie’s, and Richie had made him laugh. Which was something that he constantly strived for. And then it all came crashing down. “You can give the muffin to Stan or Bill. I’ve got to show David around.” 

“What?” 

“We’ll see you back in class. Love you!”

“Love you too,” Richie bit out. Eddie and David headed out of the classroom, leaving Richie standing there alone. It was surprising that Eddie couldn’t tell how pissed off Richie was getting. They never, never, spent time apart when they couldn’t help it. If Eddie was at school they were together. And now this kid had come and ruined it all. Richie wanted to make David hurt. He wanted to make Eddie hurt. How could he do that to him? How could Eddie leave Richie to feel all these bad things? 

It would be okay. Richie took a deep breath like his mommy taught him. Tried to calm himself down before heading out. He would go and mess around with Stan and Bill. Eddie would show David around at break and would have to hang out with him and at lunch. And then they wouldn’t have to spend any more time together. Eddie was only doing this because the teacher had told him to do it. It wasn’t like Richie was being replaced by this stupid new kid. 

And then it got way worse. 

David sat with them all day. And he talked to Eddie all day. Richie hardly got a word in, partly because he was so angry that he couldn’t even think of something to say that wouldn’t get him in trouble. Then David waited for his mommy with them so even that was messed up so bad. Richie, when they were walking to the car park, purposely bumped into him. He wanted David to fall but he didn’t. Fuck David. That’s when it got way fucking worse as well. Maggie wasn’t there yet but Sonia was.

She got out of the car, something she never did, and came over. Eddie sent a confused look to Richie (of course he sent it to Richie, David didn’t fucking know him! Richie was still more important!) who shrugged back. Who knew what Sonia was thinking? Sonia always looked ugly where Maggie always looked pretty. Poor Eddie, Richie thought briefly. She blanked Richie like always, looking between Eddie and David. “Who’s this?”

“David.”

“Is he your new friend?”

No. “I guess.” 

“How lovely. David, where’s your mommy? I’d love to set up a playdate.” Now Eddie looked even more confused. Sonia hated it whenever Eddie went anywhere and no one was allowed to go to his house. Neither of them knew how Maggie had convinced her to let Eddie come over all the time. David pointed at a woman who was coming their way and Sonia smiled. “Richie, tell your mother that Eddie won’t be coming over tomorrow. And we’ll see about Friday.” 

“Why?” Eddie asked before Richie could argue. “I wanna go to Richie’s!” 

Sonia smiled sweetly. It looked evil. “Don’t you want to spend some time with David? You’re always with Richie.”

“I like Richie.”

“It’s one week, Eddie. Do as you are told. Richie, your mommy just pulled in.” 

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Eds.”

“See you tomorrow, Rich.”

Tuesday’s play date being cancelled wasn’t Eddie’s fault. But it was David’s. If he hadn’t been there then Sonia would have never meddled with them Richie wouldn’t be resigned to a week with no playdates. It was Sonia’s fault as well. Very much her fault and Richie knew that. But everything was her fault. This was David’s problem. If Richie could he would slit her throat and watch her bleed out - interesting. 

“Why don’t we play with other kids?”

Went shrugged, “because we decided that wasn’t nice.”

“Because you’re adults?” 

“Yeah,” Maggie said, “kind off.”

“I’m not an adult so could I play with a kid?” Richie asked, trying to be coy. 

Maggie laughed, “is this about David?”

“I hate him.”

“I’m surprised you haven’t tried to kidnap Eddie already,” Went said. 

“Don’t give him ideas.”

Richie huffed, “can I?” 

“Do whatever you like, baby,” Maggie nodded and turned back to plating up their dinner. “But be safe and sensible.” 

On Tuesday, after a day of watching Eddie playing with David and knowing that David was going to Eddie’s after school, Richie told Eddie to tell his mom that he was going to Bill’s house on Wednesday to work on a science project. Sonia didn’t like playdates but she didn’t mind study dates, especially with Bill. Eddie looked confused but, because he’s a good boy, did as he was told. And then Richie told David to walk home on Wednesday. He didn’t tell David they’d be walking with him. 

It all worked out well. Sonia allowed it and David was supposed to start walking anyway. It was perfect. 

“Come on, David, it’s on the way to your house anyway,” Richie said as they were walking down the back roads. Richie had made them wait a bit before they left. The least amount of people who saw them together the better. That’s what his parents said all the time. “There’s a tree, just off the road, that’s magic and if you wish on it your wish comes true. It’s awesome. Isn’t it, Eddie?”

Eddie knew full well that Richie was making it up. “Yup.”

“I don’t know. My mom said straight home.”

Richie laughed, it was dark. Mean. Richie watched Eddie look at the ground. “Oh come on, what are you? A baby or something? It’s a tree on the way to your house.”

“Alright. But we can’t be long.”

“Five minutes, that’s all we need.”

They walked along the road towards the barrens. Kids hardly came this way, preferring to go to the park instead. Which meant the area was often empty and since it was covered in trees, no one could see you when you went in. It was the perfect place to go. And Richie knew a place that was only a few steps off the road but was completely invisible to any passing car and because of the river beside it, sounds weren’t as easy to hear. Maggie had promised to pick him and Eddie up in ten minutes from there. 

When they got their Richie dumped his and Eddie’s bag down on the ground. David did the same. Eddie stood slightly behind Richie, he hadn’t been very talkative on the walk over here. Probably confused as to what was happening. Richie felt for him. Eddie had no idea about this Tozier secret. He didn’t know what was going on, and he didn’t know that Richie knew what he was doing either. Richie hesitated for a second; Eddie was not going to like this. He didn’t like dirty things. But Richie didn’t like David. 

“What now?” David asked.

“Touch that tree,” Richie pointed to a random tree. “Count to twenty and then make whatever wish you want. Then count to twenty again. Easy. An idiot could do it.”

“Have you done this, Eddie?” 

Richie looked at Eddie, raising an eyebrow. Eddie nodded. “Everyone has.” He spoke quietly, but they all heard him. David turned around, back to them, and pressed his hand onto the bark. “Richie? What are you doing?” 

“Do you love me?” Richie asked. Eddie nodded quickly. “Then trust me. It’s fun, I promise.”

“What is?” Eddie asked as Richie dropped to his bag and pulled out the hammer he and his dad had chosen the night before. He hid it from Eddie’s sight. For now. “Richie, please. I’m scared.”

He smiled up at Eddie, “don’t be scared Eds.”

“I am.”

“Trust me,” Richie stood back up and pressed a kiss to Eddie’s lips. That always calmed him down. 

“I do. But you’re scaring me. Why are we lying to David?”

Richie rolled his eyes. “I hate David. He deserves this.” 

“What?” 

David turned around. So did Richie.


	11. Chapter 11

Richie was covered in blood. David was unrecognisable. Eddie was crying. 

They were sitting in the clearing, Eddie refusing to talk or to touch Richie, and were waiting for Maggie. The hammer was back in Richie’s bag. David’s bag was thrown to the other side of the tree and their footprints covered up. Eddie should be proud of him. This was the first time Richie had done something all by himself. And he did a pretty good job, at least he thought he had. But Eddie wasn’t proud of Richie. He was just sitting there and crying. 

Eddie was really pretty when he cried. 

Finally, Maggie’s horn beeped once. Richie stood up and pulled on his jacket, trying to cover up at least a little of the blood-soaked clothes he was wearing. Eddie didn’t move from the rock he was sitting on. After a moment of waiting, Richie sighed and went over to him. He flinched when Eddie flinched. The last thing Richie wanted was for Eddie to be scared of him like that. Richie would never do that to Eddie. They were soulmates.

“Come on, Eds, mommy’s here.”

“No.”

“Come home and have a bath and then we’ll drop you off to your house. It’s going to be okay.”

“You killed him.”

Richie nodded and then pulled Eddie up by his arm, pulling him towards the car. “I’ll explain everything when we’re at home.” 

“You killed him.”

“I know.”

“Are you going to kill me?”

They got to the car, the back door already open and Maggie in the front. She was watching them with a sad look on her face. Richie gently pushed Eddie into the car where he moved across automatically and then Richie and climbed in after. Once he was in, he grabbed Eddie’s hand to hold tightly in the middle of the car. “I’d never hurt you like that, Eds, never ever. We’re soulmates.”

“Are you okay, Eddie?” Maggie asked. 

“I wanna go home.”

“I know that it’s scary. I remember how scared I was when Went showed me what he did. But it’s okay. You’re not going to get hurt, baby.”

“The police are gonna know.”

Maggie shook her head, “we’ve been doing this for a long time, darling, they haven’t caught us and they won’t. But we’ve got to keep it a Tozier secret. Okay? This is another Tozier secret that we can’t tell anyone because they won’t understand why we do it.” Eddie was silent so Maggie continued. “If you tell people, baby, Went and I will go to prison and Richie will be sent away. You won’t be able to see any of us anymore. You’ll be with your mommy all the time. Do you want that? I don’t think you want that.”

“I want to go home, have a shower and then go back to my house. That’s all I want.”

“We can do that,” Maggie nodded.

Richie kissed his cheek, trying not to sigh in relief when Eddie didn’t flinch. He didn’t look happy though. “It’ll be okay, Eds. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Eddie didn’t come back to school that week. He didn’t call Maggie. On Friday they got a call saying he wouldn’t make it to the sleepover.

David was declared missing at six pm. By ten pm he was found. By Thursday it was determined to be someone just moving through the area. Richie and Eddie weren’t even talked to.

“Hey, Richie.”

“You’re here!”

Eddie sat down beside Richie at their table. Stan and Bill weren’t in class yet, not surprising seeing as they always got distracted riding over and ended up almost late most days. It was amazing to see Eddie again. It’d felt like years since Wednesday night. After Eddie showered and Maggie blow-dried his hair he left, walking home even though he wasn’t supposed to walk alone. Apparently he didn’t care that night. Richie, all week, had been terrified that Eddie hated him. Hopefully not if this was anything to go by. 

“I told my mommy I was sick. She let me stay home all week. Sorry I missed the sleepover.”

“It’s fine. Are you okay?”

He took a moment to answer. “I was scared. I thought you were going to hurt me too. But, I don’t know. It was kind of fun to think back on afterwards. I’ve never seen anything like that.”

“We do it in our basement a lot. It’s less scary there.”

“I’m sorry that I got angry at you.”

“Nah, it’s okay. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before we started. I thought it would be better for you to not know. Next time I’ll tell you before.”

“Next time?”

Richie nodded. “You know now, why not come and play with us?”

“Will Maggie and Went mind?”

“Mommy and daddy,” Richie replied pointedly, “want you to. They love you.”

“Okay. Tell them that I’d like to come?” Eddie asked oh-so-sweetly. 

“Of course.”

Friday saw all four Toziers and a hitchhiker in the basement. The man was tied up on the ‘X’ that they had on their wall. Richie liked that ‘X’. It made the person look a little bit weird with their limbs like that. The man was also drugged. Completely subdued and practically unconscious. Usually, they wanted their toys responsive and awake, it made it so much more fun. But Maggie and Went had made him sleep so that it was easier for Eddie. Everyone knew that he was nervous. Even though he’d been walked through it all on Tuesday he’d still gotten to the Tozier’s house shaking and almost crying. 

Eddie was sitting on the bottom step, Richie one above him. Maggie standing beside them, softly running her hand through Eddie’s hair. “What if he has a de-sez?” 

“Disease, darling,” Maggie corrected. “And you can’t get a disease unless his blood goes in your mouth or an open cut. You're safe.”

“All your cuts get covered up super fast,” Richie added. 

“I guess.”

Went finished unloading one of their bags onto the table just as the man moaned, waking up slightly. Not fully though. He would never fully wake up again. “Alrighty. You boys ready to go?”

“Yeah! Come on, Eds.”

“I don’t know what to do.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll tell you what to do.”

“Okay. Thanks.”

Richie grabbed Eddie’s hand and dragged him over to the gagged man who was tied up to their wall. Went passed Richie a knife, it was a smaller one; made for kids. Moving confidently (it made Eddie less nervous when he was confident), Richie stood behind Eddie and handed him the knife before wrapping his hand around Eddie’s wrist. Then they took a step forward so they were right in front of the man. He didn’t move which calmed Eddie down slightly. 

“Now we can do whatever we want,” Richie explained. He was aware of his parents moving to stand side by side, watching the two boys. It wasn’t like he minded, the opposite; Richie liked it when someone watched him like this. Really liked it. He turned his attention back to the boy in his arms. Eddie was shaking like a baby lamb and Richie found that he really liked that as well. “What do you want to do?”

“What do you want?”

It was Richie that moved their arms but Eddie didn’t put up a fight. Didn’t hesitate when Richie brought the knife down to create a long and shallow cut on the man’s arm. Blood came out, some of it getting on them. Eddie whimpered a little but didn’t try to move or get away. Richie kissed his neck and they did again. And again. And again. Until the man was a mess of long, shallow gashes and probably dead. Until Richie and Eddie were covered in blood. They only stopped once Eddie started giggling as they did it. Moving his own wrist and controlling the knife without the help of Richie. 

“You did such a good job!” Maggie cheered when they were finished. Eddie flushed under the praise. “My two amazing boys.”

Went ruffled their hair, blood coming away on his fingers. “You two are pretty good at this, huh? I reckon that Eddie was made to be a Tozier.”

“He totally was. No doubt. Next time, Eds, we can try something new. We’re going to have so much fun. Promise!”

“I had fun,” Eddie admitted softly. 

“We should go and have more fun,” Richie decided. Maggie and Went nodded and before Eddie could really compute what was happening Richie was dragging him upstairs. They were still covered in blood but apparently that didn’t matter. When they got to the second story of the house Eddie grasped what was happening. Cool, that wasn’t a bad thing. He liked playing with Richie like that. Loved it really, when Richie told him what to do to make them both get to the gooey place. But then they were passing Riche’s room and heading to Went and Maggie’s. Not so cool. 

Eddie stopped moving, making Richie stop as well. Richie could totally pull Eddie if he wanted to, but he loved Eddie and that meant that sometimes he had to stop as well. “I-I don’t want to play with them.”

“Well I do,” Richie tugged. 

“Richie-”

“Eds, don’t be annoying.”

“I can’t!” 

“Yes you can.”

“I can’t!”

Richie, in one move, dropped Eddie’s hand and slapped him across the cheek. It wasn’t hard enough for Eddie to fall over or anything. Just enough for his head to turn and tears to come to his eyes. Richie held out his hand for Eddie to take. When he didn’t take the hand offered to him, he got another smack. This time on the other cheek. This time hard enough for Eddie to fall over onto the carpeted hallway. 

“Do as you’re told.”

Eddie was crying when he got to their bed. Was still crying when Maggie and Went arrived.

They were sitting side by side, with Richie very lightly stroking the red mark that was coming up on Eddie’s pale cheek. It was so very pretty. Maggie and Went looked at each and sighed lightly. It didn’t take an idiot to figure out what had happened, Richie had hit Eddie, but Maggie still asked. Richie explained what had happened; not leaving anything out. When asked, Eddie nodded that it was all correct. And it was, truly. Why would Richie leave details out when he was not in the wrong? Once that was all done, Went and Richie were sent out of the room; told to go and clean up. 

“I love you, Eddie. I want you to know that.”

“I do,” Eddie replied very softly. His sobbing was dying down, which was nice.

“So I can’t help but wonder why you don’t want to play with daddy and I? Can you tell me why, Eddie? I just want to know so I can fix it. I won’t be mad, whatever you say. I promise.”

Eddie shook his head, “you can’t fix it.”

“I’m sure we can.”

“I’m not like Richie.”

“In what way, darling? I need to know.”

It took a few moments for Eddie to speak up again. He was looking at his hands. They were shaking slightly. “Richie loves me and daddy and you all the same way.”

“And?”

“I love Riche and daddy in the same way but I don’t love you like that. I just can’t.”

Maggie smiled, tipping Eddie’s head up to make eye-contact. “My darling, you’re gay. That’s not a problem.”

“My mommy thinks it is.”

“Sonia,” Maggie stressed the name, “is an idiot. What did Richie call her last week?”

Giggling, Eddie answered. “A bitch idiot walrus.”

“He wasn’t wrong. You loving me in a different way isn’t a bad thing, baby, I promise. It might seem that way to you, and maybe to Richie, but as you grow up both of you will come to understand that it’s okay and you’re still perfect.”

“Really?”

“Apple-solutely,” Maggie replied. Eddie’s face scrunched up in a smile and Maggie kissed his nose. “Can I ask another question now? Does this mean you want to play with daddy like you play with Richie?” 

He nodded. “It’s scary, but yeah.”

“Richie’ll help you through it. And if you don’t mind I can be there to help. But you don’t have to touch me and I won’t touch you.”

“I like it when you kiss me.”

Maggie kissed him. “Like that?”

“I like it better when it’s for a long time.”

“You and Richie, you’re going to kill me one day. It’s called making out sweetheart. Richie likes it too.”

“I know.” 

“Honestly,” Maggie kissed him again. This time for a long time. When she pulled away, Eddie looked happier; calmer. But not as excited as when he and Richie kissed. How could she have not seen it before? Now that she knew it was so obvious. “Come on, today’s been a long and tiring day for you, my love. I think we should get Richie to pamper you a whole lot, what do you think?” 

Eddie laughed and hopped up off the bed. “I wanna play.”

“Later, baby. After dinner.”

“Will you hold my hand?”

She grabbed it as tightly as she could without hurting the boy. “Edward Tozier, I promise you that I am never letting you go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Eddie. It only gets worse for him.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all thought Richie smacking Eddie once was bad ... 
> 
> and this isn't even the worst chapter. 
> 
> (They are 7)

Their second Christmas, only a few weeks later, is even better than their first. Eddie doesn’t have to go to his aunts, instead, his aunts are coming here. Which, sure, isn’t amazing but it means their sleepovers can keep up over the holidays. It also means that they can have Christmas on the 24th instead of ages before, like the year prior. Maggie even got them out of going to see any grandparents. The two of them get a new gaming set up and a trampoline that Eddie’s scared of at first. But by January he was happily bouncing with Richie. 

By February he was also happily partaking in the Tozier’s extracurricular activities. And while he didn’t do anything with Maggie the idea of her being in the room, even playing at the same time, wasn’t fear-inducing. That was nice for everyone. He went to the basement with them. Sure, he was nowhere near as confident as Richie and liked it when he was told what to do still but he did it. And he liked it. 

Which led to one Friday night in late May. They’re 7 and a half years old and school just let out for the year. In only a few weeks they’ll be in grade 3, it had almost been 2 years since they met and a few weeks after that they’d be 8 years old. It’s summer. They’re going to have fun together. No one really knows what is going to happen. Last summer holidays the sleepovers had stayed the same, every Friday. Eddie had gone to a church program during the day while his mother was at work.

This year Richie doesn’t think he could only see Eddie two times a week. At least during the year, they have school. But now they’re going to be separated for practically the whole summer. Richie’s suggestion of burning the church down gets shut down - which is so unfair and he makes sure that his parents know it. Eddie probably wouldn’t be happy though, he actually likes going to church on Sunday. God knows why that is. 

“Kidnap Eds and then return him after the holidays.”

“I don’t want to be stuck inside all day.”

“Kidnap Eds and run away for the holidays.”

“They’d ask why you left.” 

“Oh then I don’t know!” Richie pouted at him and Eddie giggled at Richie’s dramatics. Richie flopped his hands down on the car seat in front of him causing Maggie to turn around and scowl playfully at him. All four Tozier’s were in the car, heading home after going out for dinner to celebrate the end of the year. “Runaway forever. Have more playdates, kill Sonia.”

Maggie rolled her eyes. “I’m telling him now.”

“I thought we were waiting,” Went replied.

“It’ll shut him up.”

“Go ahead.”

Eddie laughed again when Richie called out a disgruntled: “Rude!” 

“Sonia has agreed that it’s best if Eddie spends his days with us these holidays.”

“Really?” Both boys cried, eyes lighting up in sync. Previous holidays had seen church camps, trips to his aunts and being stuck at home alone all day (which led to him sneaking out most days so that was actually okay). This was amazing. This was better than perfect. 

Went nodded, “your mother is very persuasive.” 

“How did you make her say yes?” Eddie asked. 

“I just brought up the fact that she couldn’t afford alternative care and that we were happy to take you for free. It wasn’t meant in any negative way of course,” Maggie said and Went laughed. Richie and Eddie looked at each other, clearly missing the joke. The adults shared a heavy look that Richie couldn’t understand. “And this way we can make sure you’re taking your meds and all that.” 

“You never make me take my meds.”

“That’s because they’re bullshit,” Richie replied. 

Maggie looked at them in the rearview mirror, “exactly. You aren’t to take them with us. I lied to her.”

“You always lie to her,” Eddie replied. “But that's okay.”

Richie wouldn’t say that he liked to hit Eddie. Sometimes he just had to. Sometimes Eddie decided to be a brat. Sometimes Richie needed to make him behave. It was a very important task. Eddie didn’t really see it that way. But he would stop once he got punished, so he knew how to behave. Sometimes, not often but it had happened, when Eddie got hit, he’d act even worse. And that just meant that Richie had to hit Eddie again because he needed to be trained right. Just like Went said. Besides, it hardly ever happened.

“Leave me alone!” Eddie was yelling at Richie and that just wouldn’t do. His check was pink from where Richie had hit him only a few minutes before. “I don’t want to play with you.”

“You’re being a baby!” 

“You hurt me!”

“You were being a brat!” 

“I don’t want to talk to you.” Eddie turned to leave but Richie was quick, darting out to grab Eddie’s arm. The whimper let out didn’t make Richie feel bad at all. Richie tightened his grip and pulled Eddie closer so he was right in his space. Eddie’s eyes were shining when he looked up at Richie. Because, yes, Richie was a whole head taller now. Richie reached his hand up to gather a handful of hair. Eddie whimpered again. “Richie, please.”

He didn’t reply as he dragged Eddie up to their room. The grip in Eddie’s hair was tight, Richie could tell. It must have been hurting him. A few hairs had been pulled out of his head already. This would usually be cause for concern, but not today. Because Eddie just kept being a little brat and he needed to learn that it wasn’t okay. He wouldn’t listen to Richie when he said that he wanted to play on the Xbox instead of outside like Eddie wanted. Didn’t Eddie understand that he didn’t get to decide?

“Please! Richie, you’re hurting me!”

“Yeah,” Richie muttered once they were in the bedroom. He let go of Eddie, pushing him so he fell forward, onto his knees. That was a pretty sight. Eddie, on his knees, looking up to Richie with tears in his eyes and red marks left on his face because of Richie. “I know, Eds.”

“Why?” Eddie cried with the cutest pout on his face. He didn’t move from his knees. Good.

Richie sat down on the edge of the bed. Eddie didn’t move, causing Richie to roll his eyes, grab him by the hair again and drag him to kneel beside Richie’s feet. Eddie was sobbing now. Tears rolling down his face and his breaths were coming out short. Richie tilted his head, smiling down at the boy before patting his pink check twice. “You gotta listen to me, Eds. You have to.”

“Okay! I’m sorry Richie.”

“I know but you can’t just say sorry. You have to be punished,” Richie explained slowly so that Eddie would understand. Eddie paled. “It’s alright, Eds.”

“‘M really sorry.”

Richie ran his fingers through Eddie’s hair. Gently now. “You gotta pull your pants down now, baby.”

“No. Richie, please.” He was looking around the room, as if he could getaway. Or maybe searching for Maggie to come and help. But Maggie wouldn’t say anything. She’d tell Richie to be careful so Sonia couldn’t tell. Maggie would tell Richie that he was doing the right thing.

“Eddie, don’t make it worse.” Eddie didn’t move. Richie sighed before softly saying, “you’re such a dumb baby.”

“I don’t wanna,” Eddie said through his little sobs. 

“Yeah, but it doesn’t matter what you want, Eddie. It matters what I want, right?” Eddie nodded, only a little but he nodded. “And I want you to be a good boy. You can do that, can’t you, baby? Come on.”

Eddie did as he was told. 

Because Richie was very nice and because he loved Eddie very much he helped. Pulled Eddie’s pants down when Eddie’s hands were shaking, and helped him lay across Richie in the right way. He even rubbed his back a few times to try and calm him down a little. Eddie was being punished but that didn’t mean Richie had to be mean to him. Richie didn’t want to be mean; he just wanted Eddie to be good. Besides, he’d get so many hugs when it was done. Probably from Maggie and Went as well. 

“You gotta count how many, okay? And then when we get to ten you can say sorry again. I won’t put you in time out though. Wanna play Xbox.”

And, because he was such a good boy, Eddie did as he was told. Counting through hiccups and sobs, only asking Richie to stop once when they got to five. Richie patted him on the head then, telling him to not make it worse. And then once they got to ten Eddie was pulled onto Richie’s lap, butt red and hissing when it scrapped across Richie’s jeans. Once he was seated he collapsed into Richie’s shoulder, still crying. Richie ran his fingers through his hair twice before pulling it, gently, so they could look at each other. “What do you say?”

“I’m sorry, Richie. I won’t be a brat anymore.”

Richie kissed him. “It’s alright, Eds, I forgive you!”

“It hurts.”

“It’s supposed to, silly baby. But that’s okay because we’re going to go and play on the Xbox so you don’t have to move around now.”

Eddie lent back into Richie’s shoulder. “Can I sit on your lap?”

“Sure.”

“Will mommy and daddy be mad?”

“At you or at me?” Richie asked and Eddie shrugged. “Nah. They won’t be mad at us.”

“What about my mommy? Sonia.”

Richie frowned down at Eddie. The only reason he didn’t reach up and slap Eddie across the face for asking such a dumb question was the cute pout he had on. “You’re not going to tell her. Are you?”

“No,” Eddie frowned at Richie, like Richie had answered wrong. “What if she finds out? She won’t be happy if I got hurt.”

“You lie to her and say that you’re fine.”

“Okay.”

They stood, Eddie still clinging to Richie like he so often was. His pants still off, not to go on again until Went got home later in the day. Partly because Richie wanted it and partly because it felt nicer for Eddie. See, what Richie wanted was also beneficial for Eddie. Eddie just needed to see that as well. “Come on, Eds, I wanna go and play.”

“Will you do that again?” 

“Spank you?”

“Yeah.”

Richie shrugged as they walked out into the hallway. Maggie was walking up the stairs, she smiled at them and then tapped Eddie’s red butt as they walked past her. Richie laughed at it while Eddie pouted slightly. “If you need it,” Richie answered, “then yeah I will. Of course. I need to make sure that you’re being really good. My job is to make you do your job. Get it?”

Eddie nodded. “Yeah.”

“And your job is to be pretty. And not be a brat. Which is easy because you are pretty and you just gotta shut up sometimes.”

“Alright, Richie. ‘M really sorry I didn’t do it today.”

“I know you are, Eds, I know.”

The next day Maggie forces Richie to get dressed before Eddie has even arrived. She packs two breakfasts to go and a backpack full or car games. Usually, this would mean they were going to find a new toy. But that doesn’t make sense because Eddie is due to arrive any minute and Went’s already at work. Maggie shushes him when Richie asks what’s happening and is then sent to the living room when Eddie arrives. 

Like every other morning, Eddie jumps out of the car, a bag on his shoulder, and before he can make it to the front door; Sonia’s driving away. Maggie opens the door and brings him inside and then they go to the garage, Richie following behind. Maggie still refuses to tell them where they’re going. Whatever; she passes them sandwiches and a car-bingo game that Richie likes. And then Went is getting in the car. Even though it’s 9 in the morning on a Wednesday. 

“Where are we going?”

“Portland,” Maggie finally answers her son.

“Why?”

Maggie and Went look at each other. Went answers. “I’m taking you boys to a movie and then lunch. Your mother has some things she needs to do at the courthouse.”

“What movie and what things?” Richie asks. 

They look at each other again. It’s Maggie that answers. “Whatever you want and I can’t tell you boys just yet.”

This time Richie and Eddie look at each other. Maggie and Went hardly ever keep secrets from them now. It’s weird. Richie doesn’t even know what happens at the courthouse and can’t think of a reason why Maggie would need to go there. Finally, Eddie shrugs, “we can watch the new superhero movie that you wanted to see.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If I don't update for like 5 days someone just yell at me in the comments because I've forgotten. Next chapter is Eddie's POV.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another Eddie's POV. There's one more before the story ends.

Eddie did not like being in his house. In all honesty, he saw the Tozier’s house as his real home. But every afternoon just before 4 Sonia would arrive and whisk him away. Then he’d go up to his room and sit by himself. He hates it. Going from having the best time with Richie and Maggie to being alone in a room with hardly any toys and a locked door. Eddie often wonders if Sonia wants Eddie to enjoy Richie’s house more than his own. 

It’s Thursday, two days after the random but overall fun trip up to Portland and Eddie’s having dinner with Sonia. She had been late to pick him up but that was okay. That was always okay. It was preferable. 

“What did you do at the Toziers'?” Sonia asks as Eddie shoves a bite of dry chicken into his mouth. Maggie’s such a good cook.

“We talked to Bill on the phone, Maggie made us cookies -” he didn’t mention that he had helped her. Sonia didn’t like when Eddie did ‘girly’ and ‘wifey’ things and that made Eddie upset for reasons he didn’t understand so he didn’t say anything at all “- and we coloured in a big poster that Went brought us yesterday.”

“You should call them Mr and Mrs Tozier.”

She wouldn’t be happy if she found out what Eddie actually called them. What they like to be called. He just nods. Eddie may only be 7 but he’s already learnt that it’s a hell of a lot easier to go along with what Sonia said. It’s the same with Richie but at least with Richie, Richie actually cares about Eddie. Richie loves him. Sonia doesn’t even know him well enough to like him. 

“They’re an odd family. I don’t know why you like them so much.”

“Richie’s my friend.”

“He’s so - dirty,” she frowned. And yeah, that was kind of true. Eddie was always yelling at him to wash his hands. “And I heard that he’s known at school for being a faggot.”

Eddie felt like someone had poured a bucket of ice over him. Every part of his body froze until it hurt. He tensed until it felt like he was burning where he sat. Or maybe that was because he was gay - people always yelled that gays would burn. His mother didn’t talk about gay people very much, and he couldn’t remember her ever saying that word. But he knew her feelings. He knew that she hated them. He understood some of the church sermons, understood what the pastor was saying about people like him. Knew that if she found out about him she’d - who knows. 

He was also aware that he and Richie got called that at school. He knew it because he got called that at school. Bill and Stan weren’t - they were called other names - but he and Richie we’re always called that word. It made Eddie feel sick to hear his mother say it as well, especially about the boy he loved. That people laughed and called them ‘gay’ in that awful tone that made Eddie want to cry and said they had aids and we’re going to burn for it. 

Richie and Maggie and Went all said that those kinds of people were idiots. 

But maybe he was sick. Maybe he would burn. Maybe everyone else was right.

Richie would say that wasn’t true. 

“Do you know anything about that?” Sonia asked, not seeing the state her son was in. Eddie shook his head. “I wish you didn’t have to see them. They give me strange, I wouldn’t even know what to call it. They’re just odd people. But they are being helpful these holidays. I had no idea what I was going to do with you. You make my life a lot harder than it needs to be sometimes.”

Maggie never said those kinds of things.

“Why do you like them so much?”

“Just do. They’re nice.”

“Nice,” Sonia scoffed. “Wouldn’t be surprised if they had a skeleton or two in their closet.”

Oh, the irony. Eddie looked down at his plate with a little smirk blossoming on his face. Sonia had no fucking clue.

“I mean,” Richie shrugged. “I’d rather control fire.”

“Water would be way cooler,” Eddie argued. He was allowed to argue his point like this. It was friendly, funny. He and Richie weren’t actually arguing. Eddie wasn’t actually disagreeing with Richie. This was something he could do - something that Richie wasn’t going to get angry over. Eddie wasn’t going to get punished or corrected. And besides, he was totally right. “Because then you can control ice.”

Richie rolled his eyes, “you just like Frozen.”

“Let it go,” Eddie sang back causing Richie to giggle. It was nice when Eddie could make Richie laugh. Richie was always making Eddie laugh. “Water’s cooler.”

“No. Fire-” he was interrupted by the door slamming open. That wasn’t exactly normal. Went was the only one who had a key beside Maggie and he always came in, well, normally. Not like that. Maggie was in the hallway before Eddie could really have time to process what was actually happening. He and Richie stayed in the living room, camped out in front of the TV where they had been all afternoon. Eddie looked at Richie, for what? He wasn’t sure. All he knew was when he was confused he looked at Richie. “Stay quiet.” 

That was something that Eddie was good at. That was all that Sonia wanted. That was not something Richie was good at. That was not something Maggie or Went wanted. Ever. 

Maggie took Went’s bag from him, hanging it up while Went made his way to the armchair beside them. Richie didn’t say anything, didn’t climb all over him like normal. Eddie didn’t like it. Didn’t like that his normal at the Tozier’s was so different with no warning. This wasn’t a regular Friday night. Almost before he was sitting, a glass of something (Eddie wasn’t sure, but he knew it wasn’t apple juice) was in his hand, Maggie standing beside him. 

“Do you need anything else?” Maggie asked softly. She looked almost scared. Almost. Went sent her a look that had her on her knees. Richie pulled Eddie back so they weren’t in the way at all. 

“Eddie,” Went looked over at them for the first time. Maggie didn’t stop what she was doing for a moment. “I hope that you understand your role in this family.”

Clearly Eddie looked as confused as he felt. Richie spoke up, “he does.”

“I want him to say it,” Went demanded, taking a sip.

“Your job, Eds,” Richie prompted. 

“Oh,” Eddie nodded. “Look pretty and not be a brat. Richie told me.”

Went chuckled once, holding Maggie’s head down and until she made the funny noise Eddie sometimes did. “Look pretty and not be a brat. I like that. Simple. Because you need simple.”

“He’s good at it,” Richie supplied. 

“Good. You’ve been training him right then. You’re at an advantage. I didn’t have your mother until we were much older than you two. You got a head start. Makes Eddie a better boy.”

Eddie smiled at the compliment. He wanted Went (and Maggie and Richie) to think he was a good boy. Because sometimes he felt like he was wrong and sick and dirty and awful and everything everyone told him he was. So when the Toziers, any of them, said that he was good? It made Eddie feel so light. Like he could fly. It was all that he wanted to hear. 

Went laughed at him. But it wasn’t a mean laugh. Eddie didn’t feel like he was being made fun of. It was amused, like when Richie was being silly. Richie also preened as his father spoke. Eddie liked it when Richie was happy like that. He liked it when the Toziers were happy; especially when they were happy with him. And Went had seemed very upset when he got home. But Eddie being good, pretty and not a brat, had made him happy again. 

Maggie made the funny noise again. Eddie winced. When he made that noise it meant his throat was hurting or Richie was being too fast. It wasn’t nice. Went laughed again. 

“Show me how you do your job, Eddie.”

So Eddie did.

Church on Sunday’s was not something that Eddie was allowed to skip. His mother had made this very clear. Every Saturday night she would tell him. Eddie had never, however, wanted to. He was always kind of confused as to why she told him that so often. Because Eddie liked church, no matter how much Richie joked about it, Eddie loved it. Bill was there and they got told stories and told how God loved them. 

Eddie liked church. 

The next Sunday, two days after Eddie had shown Went, Eddie found himself sitting in the Sunday School room next to Bill. They always sat together. The name-calling and laughter followed them out of school. But that was no matter because they were friends. Not as good as Stan and Bill or Richie and Eddie, but they were still best friends. “I a-asked if I cuh-could have a t-t-try but m-mum said it was only for G-G-Georgie! How unfair?”

“Totally unfair,” Eddie said as he finished colouring in the picture of the Ark. It was one of his favourite bible stories. Everything and everyone paid up nice and neatly. “Richie does that too.”

“S-so unfair,” Bill muttered. “How is Ruh-Richie?”

“Fine. He’s bored, I guess. Because he likes school and stuff. I hate it there. What about Stan?”

Bill shrugged, “f-fine. S-Stan told m-me that you and Ruh-Richie are in lu-love.”

“He did?” Eddie laughed, “yeah we are. But you can’t tell anyone. It’s like a secret that we have.”

“B-But he’s a b-boy.”

“Yeah.”

“You c-can’t let B-B-Buh-Bowers know.” 

“That’s why it’s a secret,” Eddie replied and Bill nodded in understanding. That was the good thing about Bill, and Stan, they just knew things. They didn’t need to be told everything a million times. Not like Eddie. 

The teacher, a young man who Eddie thought was kind of pretty, clapped his hands. It meant it was time to pay attention. “I know that you guys are all little and marriage is far off in the future. I bet you guys think that boys and girls have cooties,” he smiled and a few of the kids giggled quietly. “But I want to talk about being a good husband or wife. Because someday you will be. We’re called to be good partners. And that means different things for different people. For husbands, it means to be strong and in control and to be a protector. He has to make the decisions for the family. For wives, it means to be calm and meek and to be the carer. She has to follow her husband and to look after the family. It’s their role. Different but both are important. Do you understand?”

Everyone in the class chirped back that they did. But they didn’t. Not like Eddie did. 

Later on that night, when Sonia was in the shower, Eddie went to the phone. His hand stopped only a few centimetres away. Maybe this was a terrible idea. Maybe he was wrong and then they’d get angry. Maybe this would get him in heaps of trouble. Maybe maybe maybe. There were always so many maybes. Eddie lived his life in maybes. 

He picked up the phone. 

“Hello,” Maggie answered. She always answered like that, because sometimes it would be Sonia calling. And she couldn’t know that Eddie called Maggie. 

“Hi, Mommy,” Eddie replied. He couldn’t see her but he knew that she relaxed and started smiling. “Could I talk to daddy please?” 

“Daddy? Not Richie?” Maggie asked, but then she called Went over so she couldn’t be too mad at Eddie for this. “Are you okay, baby? Everything alright?”

Eddie smiled at nothing. He couldn’t explain the warm feeling that he got when Maggie asked those kinds of questions. “Yes. I just need to talk to daddy for a little bit. It’s a good thing.”

“Alrighty. He’s here now, I’ll see you when I drop Richie off at school tomorrow, okay?”

“Okay. I love you.”

“Love you too.”

There was some rustling over the phone, then a beat of silence. It was only a moment but it was enough to send Eddie into a downward spiral of maybe. Maybe maybe maybe. “Hello, Eddie, how are you? Everything okay over in fortress Kaspbrak?”

“I like Castle Tozier better, but it’s okay.”

“Of course you like our castle better,” Went scoffed lightly. “We have a light that projects stars in your room.”

“Yeah! And a trampoline.”

Went laughed, “that’s true. What do you need, Eddie? You’ve got Richie all worried. He’s practically standing on my shoes.” 

“Tell Richie not to worry,” Eddie said and Went did. But that didn’t change anything. “I was at church today and they said something to me that made it all clear!” Eddie didn’t let Went say anything, he kept going even when Went started to speak. “See, you said that we all had a role in the family and I didn’t know what you meant. Only that my job was to look pretty and not be a brat. But at church they explained it all. You and Richie are the husbands. Maggie and I are the wives!” 

“You, Eddie darling, are one smart cookie. That’s exactly right.” 

Upstairs, the bathroom door opened. “I gotta go! I’ll see you on Tuesday! I love you!” Eddie slammed the phone down before Went could reply. And then he raced up to his room when his mother was in hers. 

That night Eddie lay in his bed with a smile on his face. Calm, meek, carer. Follower. 

Yeah, he really liked that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Eddie.
> 
> I am currently writing the last chapter and let me say: oof.
> 
> Anyway, the next 2 chapters are the scenes that I first thought of when I first thought of this fic. So I am excited to share them even if I am a little nervous you guys won't like it.


	14. Chapter 14

It happened on Richie’s 9th birthday. 

He and Eddie were woken up early that Saturday which was annoying, and told to get dressed to go out. They weren’t even allowed a few minutes to fool around. When they got downstairs Maggie had just finished plating up pancakes and Went was putting ice cream out. Richie grinned. He loved it when he got ice cream for breakfast. Eddie gave him another hug as they waited, burying his face into Richie’s neck. Richie would kill for Eddie hugs. 

“I wanna play today,” Richie said as he poured syrup over his plate. Eddie made a face at how much syrup was coating his stack of pancakes. Richie stuck his tongue out at him. “Can we?”

“We will,” Maggie nodded. “There’s a treat in the basement for you.”

“Really?” Richie’s eyes lit up. “Who?” 

Maggie and Went looked at each other for a moment. Richie whined under his breath. “We can tell you now if you want me to,” Went said, “but we have other things to do today. So you can’t play until we get home later tonight.”

“What do we have to do?” Richie asked. “I don’t want to do things?”

“Trust me, you want this,” Maggie replied. 

Richie looked over at Eddie who shrugged in reply. He didn’t know either. That made sense though. If Eddie knew something, Richie knew it and visa versa. They were terrible at keeping secrets from each other. Plus, Richie knew how to get secrets out of Eddie if he needed to. “Okay,” Richie conceded after a moment. “We have things to do. Surprises. But I wanna know who’s in the basement.” 

“Mr Mullens,” Went replied.

“No way!” Richie cried, “really?” His parents nodded. “Fuck yeah. Hear that Eddie?”

“Yeah,” Eddie nodded. He looked as happy as Richie did. “That’s going to be fun.”

Mr Mullens was their teacher for the year. They hated him as much as he hated them. For what, Richie had no idea, but he knew that the man had a vengeance out against Richie and his friends. He constantly picked on Eddie, calling on him when he knew that he didn’t know the answer. And he had spilt all of them up even though other friends got to sit together (and were way louder). All in all, Mr Mullens was an asshole. Richie grinned, syrup staining his lips. “I’m gonna make him wish he had never met me!” 

As promised they were ushered to the car almost straight after breakfast. Richie moaned that he couldn’t even taunt Mr Mullens before they left but Maggie and Went promised that where they were going would be totally worth it. When they pulled out of their driveway, Richie started up his questioning. If there was one thing Richie Tozier could do it was talk as much as he wanted. “Where are we going?” 

And as always, Maggie entertained him. “Portland. But we’ve got to do something else.”

“Where?”

“You’ll see.”

“Is someone going to get hurt?”

“Not physically.”

“Is Eddie going to like it?”

“Yes.”

“Is it a joint present?”

“For the whole family. We’ve been planning it for a long time.” 

“But it’s my birthday!”

“You’ll like it a lot.”

“Where are we going now?”

“You’ll know when we get there.”

“Why can’t I know now?”

“Because.” 

Richie groaned and threw his head back before collapsing onto Eddie’s shoulder. He liked lying on Eddie. Always had. For a long time, he didn’t get why he liked it so much. But he got it now. And it was so simple as well. He liked touching Eddie, reminding himself that Eddie was right there even when he was being unusually quiet like today. It made Richie feel grounded when the rest of the world was so floaty. “This is so unfair. It’s unfair, right, Eddie Spaghetti?” 

“Because you called me that, I’m going to say no,” Eddie replied. Richie pinched his thigh causing Eddie to jump with a little yelp. “Fine. Mommy, daddy, it’s so totally unfair! Poor Richie!” 

“Don’t think you can manipulate me into being kind because you called me mommy.” 

“I wasn’t,” Eddie said with a grin that gave it all away. 

“You’re so cute.”

Eddie scrunched his nose up. Cuter. “I’m not cute.”

“The cutest spaghetti in the land.”

“I don’t think I want to be a Tozier anymore,” Eddie said as seriously as he possibly could. It wasn’t very serious. Richie gasped dramatically. Both Maggie and Went rolled their eyes in sync, at who? No one knows. It was probably directed to both of them. They were always rolling their eyes at both of them. They feed off each other constantly. Much to Maggie and Went’s annoyance. “Richie’s put me off.”

“That’s fair,” Went muttered causing Richie to huff. “Alright, boys, we’re almost here.”

“We’re almost at my house,” Eddie frowned out his window. Richie looked up, he was right. It was his street, his house down the end. Richie knew this road well. Eddie looked at him, concern lacing his features. God, he probably thought that he was being dropped home or something. Eddie was always worried about things like that. Worried that he wasn’t good enough for the other Toziers. It made Richie feel so - so - sad wasn’t even the right word. It was more than that. 

Maggie nodded, “it’s our first stop.”

“I don’t want to go anywhere without Eddie?”

Went pulled the car over, right outside Eddie’s house. Eddie looked at it like it had a disease. 

“We should have told you this earlier but, well, we didn’t. Just do what we say, and pretend to know what we’re talking about. Okay?”

“Are we killing Sonia?” Eddie asked.

“No,” Went said as he opened his door. “We’re just going to talk to her.”

Richie made a face, Eddie smile at him. Killing Sonia was a good idea in his books. Sure, he knew why they weren’t supposed to kill her. Legal reasons, really. No one wanted Eddie sent away. Sent to live with his aunts, who were arguably worse for a majority of reasons. No more sleepovers and kisses and playtime. No more Eddie. But it would be lovely to watch the life drain out of her eyes. Eddie had his mother’s eyes. 

“What are you doing here?” Sonia asked as soon as she opened the door. No hello, no welcome. She looked very surprised that they were at her door. No wonder she was surprised. The Toziers had never been in her house. Maggie had gone in the entry once or twice, but aside from that - Eddie came to them. Sonia looked around Maggie and Went to the boys. “Are you okay, Eddie?” 

“He’s okay,” Went said before Eddie could answer. “We just need to have a little chat.”

Maggie and Went pushed inside, not letting Sonia say no to them. Richie shrugged at Eddie before stepping inside. She knew that it was Richie’s birthday - Eddie was staying at the Tozier’s until 7pm because Stan and Bill were coming over for dinner - so she must have been confused. Richie didn’t feel bad. They went into her living room, Eddie and Richie following their parents with Sonia behind them. 

Richie looked around when they got in. Eddie’s house was so sad. So cold. Eddie seemed to know it as well, stepping closer to Richie with a sullen look on his face. There were no family photos, no photos of Eddie. Only a photo of Eddie’s dad sitting on the fireplace. No graded tests on the fridge, no random drawings stuck on the walls. It was dark too, even with the blinds open. The entire room, the whole house, was just so dark. No wonder Eddie hated the house - take away the crazy mother. 

“I understand that you don’t know what’s happening,” Went started after he and Maggie had sat on the sofa. Sonia sat on her armchair. Richie and Eddie stood beside their parents. The Tozier adults looked so relaxed to Sonia’s tense and almost angry look. “But we’re here because we think this is the best option. We’re letting you have a say in what’s about to happen.”

“About what?” Sonia asked, her eyes flicking to a very confused Eddie. 

“Eddie,” Maggie answered. “What’s going to happen to Eddie.” 

“Nothing is going to happen to my son.”

Richie really wanted to say something. An insult wrapped in a joke about how Eddie had never been her’s. How Eddie saw himself as Maggie and Went’s son. How Eddie saw Sonia as a non-factor in his life. He was positive that Sonia wouldn’t appreciate it. He wanted her to be sad. Really sad. Sad enough that he might miss out on the chance to play a role in her death. 

Maggie sent him a subtle look, knowing what he wanted to say and stopping him before he could even start. “See, that’s not the thing,” Went said calmly. “Eddie’s been a part of our lives for, what? A little over three years now. And we’ve noticed a thing or two about how you treat him.”

“I don’t know what you’re implying.”

“You’re neglectful and emotionally abusive,” Maggie answered in a soft tone. Like she was talking to a young child. Not a borderline hysterical woman. 

“This is ridiculous. I don’t know what Eddie’s been telling you but he’s lying. I think this is over, you can go now. Eddie will stay here.” 

Maggie pulled out a USB stick with a small smile. “We’ve documented every instance we know of. Every time you left him home, even at the young age of six. All the awful things you’ve said to him, like how you wish he had died and not his father. How you never send him to school with food. How, for three years, you’ve dropped him off with virtual strangers two times a week because you can’t afford anything else. How those people have taken care of Eddie since he was five. All kinds of things, Sonia. Enough to get him taken away from you.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Sonia scoffed. “I’ve never done that.”

“There are photos on here, videos. Don’t be so stupid and think that you’ll be okay,” Went replied. 

Eddie looked at Richie, a confused frown on his face. He looked upset. Maggie and Went had promised that they would never tell anyone about Sonia. They said Eddie was allowed to tell them anything in secret. But Richie still shrugged, he was sure that they were doing this for a good reason. His parents wouldn’t do this to Eddie for no reason. They would never hurt either of them.

“A few photos of Eddie’s empty lunchbox? I can easily fight that.”

“We know the judge,” Maggie replied with a soft smile. “You see, we’re friends with the judge in Portland. He trusts us.”

Sonia scoffed, “and so now I can say that you just said that to me.”

“And who would believe you?” Went asked.

“You said it.”

“It’s you against us,” Maggie replied. She looked to Richie and Eddie who were standing beside her. “And I’m sure the boys have already chosen which side they’re on,” Richie and Eddie nodded. They’d always side with each other, with their family. Maggie smiled at them before turning back to Sonia. Sonia’s smug little smile had dropped off her face. “And I don’t think you’d be too happy with what they have chosen.”

“So, what? You give this to the police and, maybe, Eddie gets taken away and sent to his aunts? Now you can’t see him either,” Sonia shrugged, turning back to the adults after watching Eddie. She wasn’t very good at it though, Richie noted. She was too big. “I don’t understand what you think is going to happen here.”

“We have evidence against them as well. Went and I would recommend something else.” 

Sonia looked a little more concerned now. Didn’t look happy that everything she said there was an argument back. Richie enjoyed watching her brows pinch together. Like she was worried. “A care home, then. Is that what you want?”

“Went and I have been going through the foster care process since we met Eddie. We’d take him.”

“I’d fight.”

“You’d have no fight,” Went answered easily. “But that’s why we’re here. We’re giving you the choice.”

“What? Let Eddie spend Thursday night with you as well?”

Maggie and Went looked at each other, Maggie smiled; “something like that.”

“I’m not giving him up to you willingly.”

Richie looked between her and his parents. They still looked relaxed, they looked like they did when everything was going to plan. Sonia, on the other hand, looked confused, a little frightened. She was sitting forward on her chair, eyes shining with worry and hands clasped on her lap. For a moment she looked at Eddie, her entire vibe freezing. The worry turned to anger. Richie nearly yelled at her for it. No one was allowed to look at Eddie like that. No one.

He looked at Eddie then. He had been so still and silent that Richie had almost forgotten he was standing there. His eyes were darting between Sonia and his parents, alight with confusion. Richie shuffled closer to him, pressing their shoulders together. He didn’t know what was happening but he trusted his parents. Trusted that they would be doing this for the betterment of their family. Eddie looked like he had absolutely no idea what was going on. It looked like he was crying, the way his face was so tight. Richie grabbed his hands, squeezing lightly. Hoping that Eddie got the message. I’m not leaving you. 

“We’re not asking you to,” Maggie replied in that soft tone. 

Sonia looked stumped. Richie felt it. 

“We’re not asking you to sign away Eddie completely,” Went pulled out two pieces of paper from his briefcase. Everyone stared at it. “Only partly.”

“This way you get to keep some normalcy,” Maggie continued. “But we get to share him with you. He ours as well. Because, let’s be honest with ourselves, he’s been ours since that first Friday. Now, you can do it our way or we will take him off you entirely.”

Eddie looked up at Richie, complete bewilderment on his face. Richie echoed the sentiment.

“And what do you propose, to get this magical joint-custody?”

Went and Maggie smiled at each other. Went handed over the papers. Sonia’s eyes widened and her face paled. “Richie and Eddie are going to get married.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo...


	15. Chapter 15

“Get out of my house.”

“Alright,” Maggie stood up. “Come on boys.”

“I don’t think so. Eddie’s staying here.”

Eddie stepped closer to Maggie. She grabbed his hand, Richie already holding the other one. He knew that look on her face. That was the look that she had before she got really angry at Eddie. Richie squeezed Eddie’s hand. He knew Eddie, knew that Eddie was scared right now. Because if the Toziers didn’t get their way then Eddie would have to go back and be with her again. 

If they lost they’d never see Eddie again. Sonia would probably take him away, move out of Derry. Richie would never be allowed to see him, Maggie and Went would be banned as well. She’d keep up the treatment of him throughout his own life and Eddie would have no one to turn to. No one would tell him that he wasn’t a burden or sick or whatever it had been that week. He wouldn’t even have Bill or Stan. Eddie would be alone. He hated being alone.

But if they won. Either way. If they got what they wanted then Eddie would be his. Fully. He’d be a Tozier in a legal sense - just like they talked about. But now, not in eleven years. The whole town would know that Eddie belonged to Richie and Maggie and Went. And, really, Richie couldn’t see why they wouldn’t win. Sonia was the worst. Eddie was way better off a Tozier. It would be the best thing ever. His parents were right, Richie really liked this present.

“Sonia, Eddie’s coming with us and we’re going to Portland,” Went replied. “It’s just up to you whether or not he comes back home to you tomorrow.” 

“Eddie,” she turned to her son. Richie felt him tense. “I need you to step away from them so we can go and get help. You’re sick. You’ve been, been, brainwashed by these people to think these awful things. But we can make you better.”

“You don’t have to go with her,” Maggie said. 

“He is my son.”

Maggie looked down at Eddie, “baby, what do you want to do? Do you want us to leave you here or do you want to get married to Richie?”

Sonia scoffed, as if the answer was obvious. Richie scowled at her, Went kicking him in the leg softly before she could see. “My son is not some disgusting faggot.”

“I wanna marry Richie.”

“Don’t be absurd, Eddie.”

“I love Richie,” Eddie answered. His voice was shaky, but he was looking directly at Sonia, daring her to say something. Richie fucking loved it when Eddie got all defiant and angry like that. He smiled at him, Eddie smiling back up at him. In the corner of his eye, Richie saw the shocked glare on Sonia’s face. God, it would be amazing to lean in and kiss him right now, just to see her reaction. Maggie shook her head. 

Holding out his hand, Went said; “we’ll see you later, Sonia. Please, if I could have the papers back. And then you can have a moment to say goodbye to Eddie. Only if Eddie wants it.” 

Eddie shrugged. Sonia was shocked and frozen in place. Not moving at all. Staring straight at Eddie. She didn’t give the papers back to him. Went motioned to the door and the four of them started to move out to the hallway. Eddie looked just as happy to walk out of the room as Richie. Probably even more so. Because Richie already had the nice house and awesome mommy and daddy - it was Eddie that would get that all the time if they got their way. Plus he’d get to be a Tozier and he had always wanted that. 

“Wait,” Sonia said when they got to the door. Maggie and Went shared a little smile. “If I say yes, what do you want?”

They all turned back around. She was standing in the living room doorway, face red and hands shaking. Went answered her. “His name will be changed to Tozier, he’ll be with us for 4 nights and we get him all school holidays aside from Sundays. We’re not hiding what’s about to happen either. The town will know that they’re married. When children get married they get emancipated, because of this, legally, we will be his guardian because he’s marrying into our family. However, we’ll still let you have a say over these issues. You will not get the same rights over Richie. That’s it.”

“This can’t be legal.”

“Fully,” Maggie replied. “We’ve done our research, Sonia. All you have to do is sign there so you can share custody instead of having it taken away.”

“Child marriage isn’t-”

Went sighed, “yes it is. In Maine. As is same-sex marriage. We just have to prove that it’s in the best interest of the child, or children.”

“And how are you going to do that?”

“Your abuse,” Maggie replied. But she was lying, Richie could tell. When Maggie lied she tapped her fingers against her leg. They weren’t lying about getting them married, so they had to be lying about how. Richie would ask about it later on. “We have enough evidence to suggest taking Eddie out of your custody is the best option.”

Sonia was silent for a long time. Looking at the papers in her hands. Long enough for Richie to start fidgeting with Eddie’s fingers. He loved doing that, because Eddie would always wiggle his fingers around with Richie. And he only did that because he knew that Richie liked it. They truly were soulmates.

“He’ll be coming to Church with me.”

“Yes,” Went nodded.

“And, at any point, he wants a divorce he gets one. This isn’t some arranged, for life, marriage. Eddie gets a say.” 

“As much as Richie,” Maggie answered. She was good at that. At saying what the person wanted to hear but not actually giving them what they wanted. Richie got it from her. “And when they’re eighteen, they can decide what happens.” 

Sonia went back to staring at the papers in her hands. “If the courts don’t agree?”

“They will,” Went said. There was no room for debate in his tone. They knew something that they weren’t letting on and Sonia knew it as well. She looked at Eddie again. “What do you want to do?”

“Eddie?” She asked, perhaps desperately praying that he would jump into her arms and cry that they were crazy for this. That they made him lie. That he wanted to stay with her and not them. 

“I’ve always wanted to marry Richie. I wanna be a Tozier. We talk about it all the time.”

She wasn’t going to get what she was praying for. 

“Lord have mercy.”

It took Richie forty-three minutes of driving to realise what the fuck was going on. “Holy fucking shit!”

“What?” Maggie asked, turning to look back at him. 

“Eddie and I are getting married!” 

“Yeah,” Eddie, who had been staring out of his window in silence for the last forty-three minutes, giggled. “We are.”

Richie took his seatbelt off, ignored Eddie’s warning, and slid over so that he could wrap his fiancee up in a hug. Because they were engaged. Kind of. Sure he hadn’t asked but it wasn’t like Eddie didn’t know that marriage would happen in the future. And he definitely hadn’t been opposed to the idea. Fiancee. Eddie was his fiancee! But he should probably still ask him. Just to be formal. “So, Eds, what do you say? Wanna get hitched.”

“I thought we already decided,” Eddie replied. 

“Oh answer the question, love of my life!” 

“Yes, Richie, I will marry you.”

Richie whopped, letting go of Eddie so he could go back to his seat. They stayed holding hands though. Any touch was better than no touch at all. “Did ya hear that, parents, he said yes! Oh, happy days are these. What a time to celebrate, perhaps with McDonalds!”

“You want your wedding day lunch to be at McDonalds?” Went asked. 

“Eddie and I love McDonalds, where else would it be?” 

“Well, your father and I had lunch at a very fancy and expensive restaurant. So that was nice.”

He shrugged, “but did that very fancy and expensive restaurant have chicken nuggets and a playground inside? No. So…”

“We can go to McDonalds if you two want it. And we can have pizza for dinner with Bill and Stan.”

“Did you plan this whole thing out? Are they coming over because we’re getting married?”

Maggie nodded, “it’s a birthday party and a wedding party wrapped into one. We figured you wouldn’t mind too much.”

“I do not.”

“Do they know?” Eddie asked.

“No,” Went replied, “but we will tell them tonight. You boys don’t need to hide this from everyone else. We’ll tell them, have pizza and watch some movies and then you two can go down to the basement and do whatever you want to that teacher. Sonia’s picking Eddie up at eight tomorrow morning now, so you can do whatever you want all night.” 

Richie winked at Eddie, to which Eddie rolled his eyes. “You’re so stupid.”

“Yeah, but you’re marrying me.”

“Guess I am.”

They got to the Portland courthouse about an hour and a half later. Richie and Eddie passed the time by annoying their parents with non-stop talking and stupid car games. But they finally arrived, Richie jumping out of the car and pulling Eddie along with him. Maggie and Went watched them, smiling at Richie and his antics. At one point he even got down on one knee, deciding to propose then. “Come on!” He cheered once Eddie had, again, agreed to marry him. 

“It’s not too late,” Went joked as they walked into the building. “You can run.”

“Shut up, you’re not funny,” Richie muttered, tightening his hold on Eddie’s hand to an almost painful amount. Eddie didn’t say anything about it. They made it inside, it was busy and people were bustling about or sitting on the plastic chairs. No one even looked at the Toziers when they walked in. Went led them to the reception. Richie took a mint, asking “what do we do now?” 

“We have an appointment with one of the judges,” Maggie explained.

Richie nodded, “how long will it take?”

“Shouldn’t be too long.”

“Follow me,” Went, who had already finished talking to the lady, said and they made their way to an office. He knocked once before opening the door, walking in first and holding the door open for the rest of them. Sitting behind a big wooden desk was a man that Richie had to believe was a hundred years old. There was no way that man was under 120. He looked funny, with light grey hair and big glasses. “Judge.”

Then he wasn’t funny anymore. Because he gaze wasn’t on Went, or even Maggie or Richie, but he was staring directly at Eddie. Eyeing him up and down in a way that made Richie, who didn’t really understand what was happening, very angry. This man deserved to be in the basement. Eddie clearly sensed the look as well, stepping so that he was pressed right up against Richie. The man’s gaze following him; now locked on Eddie’s legs. Eddie made a little noise at the back of his throat, causing the man to smile. 

“Toziers, it’s been a while. What do you happy lot need? Hopefully, it’s something very, very, bad and this is payment.” 

Went and Maggie sat down in front of him. Richie led Eddie so his body was partly covered by Maggie. The man didn’t stop looking though. “This,” Went said, pulling Eddie to stand beside him and making him completely exposed to the man’s eyes, “is Eddie. He and Richie want to get married.” 

“Is that so?” The man looked Richie up and down as well. “I need consent from his -” he was cut off by Went handing over the papers. “I see. And I’ll need to talk to Eddie for a moment, to make sure he’s happy about all of this. I would hate to see such a pretty little thing stuck like so many others.” No one moved. “Alone.”

Richie was about to argue. There was no way he was leaving his Eddie with this creepy man alone. But then Maggie and Went were standing up, grabbing him by the shoulder and pulling him out of the room. Just before the door closed, Went lent in and said: “no touching, we want him to stay pretty.” The last thing Richie saw of Eddie was the confused and scared look across his face. 

“What are you doing?” Richie asked as soon as the door was closed. “Why did you leave him alone?”

“Do you want to marry Eddie?” Maggie asked, Richie, nodded. “This is the only way that we can make that happen. That man is - is gross, yes, but he won’t touch. Eddie’s going to be fine.”

“He wasn’t happy!”

Went ruffled Richie’s hair and for a brief but very real moment, Richie hated his parents. They were offering Eddie - Richie’s Eddie - up to a man that they knew was disgusting. Richie was young, but he wasn’t a fucking idiot. He knew why that man wanted to be alone with Eddie, knew that if he could he wouldn’t be gentle like Went. And then, for an even smaller moment in time, Richie hated his father for touching Eddie. Because Eddie didn’t fucking belong to anyone other than Richie. 

“He’s happy to get married. Sometimes we have to do things we don’t want to do.”

“You knew that man would want this.”

“We did,” Maggie nodded.

“That’s why you weren’t worried at Sonia’s house. Because you knew you could get your way because Eddie’s pretty.” 

Maggie nodded again, petting Richie’s hair. “We’re not getting our way, Richie, we’re getting your way. This is for you. Do you not want it or something?” 

“I want Eddie.”

“A few more minutes.”

Richie glared at his dad. A few minutes of Eddie being scared and in the room with the old man. But, but, a few more minutes and then they could get married. And that was a very good thing. So maybe it was worth it and he was sure that Eddie would see it that way once he was done in there. See that he had sacrificed a moment of his life to be happy with Richie forever. That was fine, wasn’t it? 

Richie wanted to slam the man’s face onto his desk until he was a mess of blood and bone. 

But first, he had to get his marriage certificate signed. 

When they went back into the room, five minutes and thirty-six seconds later, Eddie attached himself to Richie. His shirt had been moved, his hair messier than normal and there were tears in his eyes and on his checks. Richie wrapped him up in a hug, promising in a whisper that he was going to be okay. Eddie clung to him just as tightly, wrapping his hands in Richie’s shirt and burying his face into his chest. The adults ignored them. Even the smug, old, bastard who had smirked when Richie walked in.

One day Richie was going to kill that old fucker. 

“Well, Eddie seems very happy to marry into the family. I’m almost tempted to say no just so that I can have him. We get along, don’t we, darling?” The old man asked, smirk still on his face. Richie tensed as Eddie nodded. He wasn’t angry at Eddie though, he knew that he was only doing it so they could get married. Poor baby. “But, at risk of losing everything, I will sign. If anyone asks, it's for religious reasons. Best option for this kind of thing. Sounds good?”

“Sounds great,” Went nodded. And then the man was signing a piece of paper. “Thank you.”

“Congratulations Mr Richard and Edward Tozier,” the man said as he handed a whole lot of paperwork to Went. “Eddie’s now under your custody until Richie’s sixteen, at which point both become legally emancipated. Have fun, and send me pictures.”

“Careful,” Went said as he filed the paper. “Richie just might kill you for saying that.”

He was going to. 

“Protecting his husband’s honour I see.” 

Husband. 

Husband Husband Husband.

They were married. 

Eddie was legally his! 

No one could take him away anymore!

Husband.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> soooo-


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW:::: murder and also the F slur.

Marriage was not as fun as Richie thought it would be. 

No, that’s not fair. Marriage was awesome, Eddie was awesome. Richie was very much in love. But he had expected a little more than what he got. Because nothing changed. Aside from Eddie being at their house from Wednesday afternoon to Sunday morning and the fact that everyone knew they were married (which resulted in a lot of strange looks and a teacher asking if they were safe) nothing was different. They were still in love, still happy to spend time with each other. Bill and Stan thought it was pretty weird; as did their parents. But by the end of their pizza dinner that night, everyone was over it. 

Well, it turns out, not everyone. 

Turns out Derry is a pretty homophobic place. Eddie and Richie learnt that rather quickly.

Henry Bowers had always hated them. He and his friends always called them all sorts of names - Bill and Stan too, and even baby Georgie one time - and loved to find time to corner one or two of them to hurt them. All of the Losers - their new name, as it seemed the rest of the school was calling them that anyway - hated the Bowers gang, and all the Bowers gang hated the Losers. 

And Richie wasn’t allowed to do anything about it. Which was so fucking unfair. Really he could have if he wanted to. On his tenth birthday, four months ago, his parents had given him free rein over his and Eddie’s playtime. So long as they were being sensible with it, they could do whatever. Technically, Richie could have taken Bowers into the basement and wished he had never opened his fucking mouth. But Eddie said no. 

Richie had tried to fight it, saying that he could do whatever he wanted. But Eddie had genuine concerns that, maybe, killing their bully (of which the whole town knew about) might lead the cops to the Toziers. Which, yeah, that made sense. Eddie was right but it was still fucking annoying. Richie just wanted to fuck Henry up, had done since they were about eight years old and the first batch of ‘Richie Tozier sucks flaming cocks’ came up on the bathroom stalls. 

But Eddie had said no. Until now. Thank God. 

“What the fuck happened to you?” Richie exclaimed, jumping up. Eddie fell forward, landing on Richie’s chest with a groan. Richie cradled his face, his very bruised and bloodied face, in his hands. Eddie had just gone out to get them both an ice-cream from the corner store. “I - Eds?” 

“Bowers,” Eddie moaned out. Richie ran his finger softly under Eddie’s eye. As worried as he was, Richie couldn’t help but stare at the red dripping from Eddie’s lip. “They were all there.”

“Baby,” Richie muttered, Eddie leaned further into his touch.

He continued, “they knocked me off my bike on the corner and. Yeah.”

“Are you hurt anywhere else?” 

Humming slightly, Eddie stepped back and lifted his shirt. Already a large bruise was settling across his chest. Small cuts littered his side, droplets of blood capturing Richie’s eye. He ran his finger along them, collecting the blood on his finger. “I couldn’t stop them.”

“Eddie-”

“I want you to kill him.”

“What’s that?” Richie asked, a small smirk on his face. Worry still present but suddenly not as important. “You want me to do what now?”

“I want you to hurt Henry Bowers. I want you to make him hurt as much as we do.”

Richie smiled, “you’re asking a lot of me, Eds. His dad’s the sheriff, they’d look for his killer more than the others. Didn’t you think about that?” 

“You’re smart. Please, Richie.”

“I guess I could hurt Bowers if you wanted me to,” Richie replied. He could see the unease in Eddie’s eye. Makes sense, Eddie knew how much he wanted to kill the bastard. So why was Richie suddenly acting so odd? Richie switched to caressing Eddie’s face again. “But it would take a lot, wouldn’t it?” Richie asked and Eddie nodded. “So maybe you should ask really nicely. Huh? Maybe you should get on your knees all pretty like and beg me to go and kill Bowers for you. You can do that, can’t you?”

Eddie dropped to his knees, hissing in pain as he did so. Richie kept a hold of his cheek, tilting his head so he was looking up at Richie. “Please kill Bowers for me, Richie?”

“That’s not really begging, baby.”

“Pretty please.”

Richie tapped his check, laughing softly when Eddie recoiled like he had hit him. “I’ve seen you beg so sweetly before, why not now?” 

“Please will you go and hurt Bowers for me, Richie? He hurt me and I want him to pay for it but I can’t do it. You’ve gotta do it for me. Please?”

“Why do I have to do it?”

“Because you love me and you take care of me?”

“Why else?”

“Because I’m not allowed to do anything without your permission, Richie. You’re in charge.”

Richie hummed, smiling down at Eddie. Still bloody and whimpering and on his knees. God, he was pretty on his knees. Always had been. “I am, aren’t I? In charge of you?” Eddie nodded. “Now and forever, huh?”

“Yeah.”

“Why should I kill him, though? He didn’t hurt me, did he?”

“Because I’m your’s and he put his hands on me.” 

Holy shit that did something to Richie. Something inside Richie snapped when Eddie said that one little sentence. So simple, almost innocently said. But enough to make Richie feel things he had never felt before. A hot ball settled in his stomach at the thought of someone else touching Eddie. His Eddie. The protectiveness he always felt for Eddie, suddenly twice as strong. 

“Maybe I can,” Richie sat down on the edge of his bed. Eddie shuffled forward like he was meant to, landing right in front of Richie. Clearly he was still sore as he ended up with all his weight on Richie’s thigh, his head supported by Richie’s hand. And if it meant having him on his knees like that, Richie would hold him up. He smiled up at Richie, as if thinking the same thing. As if he was thinking ‘so long as Richie holds me up, I’ll kneel down for him’. 

“You will?”

“Bastard deserves it. I’ll fucking carve my name into his chest.”

Eddie made a face, “best not.”

“The police might have something to say about it, huh?” Richie and Eddie both giggled at the idea. Richie continued, “it’d be a story wouldn’t it: local boy killed by his abusive father, who when seeing what he had done, offed himself as well. I think people would like that one.”

“I think you’re smart.”

“You think or you know?”

Eddie just smiled and shook his head at him. He took after Maggie with that; the two of them always did it and it was always aimed at Richie. Whatever, he and Went could do awesome voices. Plus they were the men of the house and could do whatever they wanted. Which actually wasn't all that true though. Because Eddie practically always got what he wanted. If, for example, there was only one piece of chocolate left, Eddie was getting it. Richie always gave Eddie what he wanted. Went always gave Maggie what she wanted. 

Like how Maggie had wanted a child but Went hadn’t. Richie and Eddie had been told this bedtime story plenty of times now. Went had agreed, but didn’t want Maggie to get pregnant because she might not be as pretty after so they had taken a baby from a lady. The baby wasn’t good and cried all the time, Went hated it and Maggie found it to be annoying and unloveable. So they had taken the baby and left it on the roadside about 100 meters outside of a small town. They didn’t know what happened to it. And then, only a year later, Maggie got pregnant and Went allowed her to keep it - and then Richie was born. 

Went always said that it was the best decision he had ever made (aside from maybe choosing Maggie as a girlfriend when his parents told him to decide). But really, and Richie knew this, it was the fact that Maggie is spoiled that resulted in Richie being born. If Went was mean - like his father (who Went had killed when Richie was very young) - then Richie wouldn’t be here. 

Richie would give Eddie a baby if he wanted one. He’d give him anything he wanted, so long as it got Eddie to smile up at Richie. Which definitely meant that Eddie was spoiled. “You’re so spoiled, did you know that?”

“My mom says that you spoil me,” Eddie admitted. “She thinks you give me too much.”

“Sonia’s an idiot,” Richie muttered. “But in this case, not wrong. Look at you, I’m going to go and murder someone, risking it all, just because you asked me nicely. Spoiled little brat, you are.”

Eddie got up off the floor and then threw himself onto Richie’s lap. Really he shouldn’t have moved without permission from Richie but, then again, Eddie was a spoiled little thing and Richie could let it slide. He usually did. “You’re not risking anything. And besides, it’s more like I’m giving you permission to do something you constantly whine about doing anyway. If you think about it, I’m spoiling you.”

“That is absolutely not how this works,” Richie flicked Eddie’s nose, gently though. “Firstly, you don’t give me permission to do anything, secondly, I do not whine -” Eddie giggled “- and thirdly, you do not spoil me with anything.”

“My love?”

“I guess.”

“My amazing jokes?”

“No.”

“Rude. Kisses?”

“Yeah.”

“Sex?”

“Definitely.”

“Me?” 

Richie laughed, “are you saying that you spoil me because you spend time with me?” 

“You’re the one who always complains when we’re not together. You’re the one who whines when I go to my moms,” Eddie shrugged. Richie sent him a look, clearly sending the message of ‘so do you, dipshit’ to which Eddie giggled. Then nodded and then buried his head into Richie’s neck. He always did that when they were cuddling. Said once, when he was sleep-deprived and therefore had no filter, that it made him feel safe and small and secure. “Maybe we spoil each other with our presence.” 

“Yeah,” Richie hummed. “Guess we do.”

Eddie burrowed deeper, wrapping his arms around Richie tighter. “Love you, Richie.”

“Love you too. Let’s have a nap and then, later on, we can go kill that disgusting motherfucker and his weirdo pedo dad.” 

Sneaking into the chief of police’s house should not be this easy. Richie whispered that thought to Eddie as they crept through the house. All it took them was a screwdriver and a minute of being silent, and then they were standing in the Bower’s kitchen. There was a dirty knife in the sink which would work. Richie grabbed it and then they were on their way to the living room. 

Police Chief Bowers didn’t wake up. Nor did he wake up when Richie and Eddie moved behind him. He also didn’t wake up when Richie slit his throat. Went had prepared them for a lot more thrashing and fighting. This was almost boring in its simplicity. But, when murdering a family, simple is better. Because it had been so silent, Henry should have stayed asleep. It would be a hell of a lot easier if he did. 

They moved upstairs, going as quietly as they could. Knife still in Richie’s hand but surprisingly both we’re pretty clear of blood. Their house was old, which meant it was probably creeky. Eddie had said that Henry was probably used to listening out for certain sounds - even in his sleep - that could signify his dad coming. Richie didn’t want to think why Eddie knew that. 

“Do as I say,” Richie whispered when they got to the right door. 

“Yes, Richie, I know.”

Richie pushed open the door, sighing in relief when he saw Henry asleep on his bed. It took all of a moment for Richie to get in the room, on the bed, to straddle Henry and to push the knife up against his throat. When the blade reached its mark, Henry woke up with a start. He bucked his hips but Richie was expecting it, already tightening his thigh’s grip around Henry’s torso. 

“Hey, Bowers. Long time no see. Eddie, baby, get his hands,” Richie asked politely. Eddie did as told. Grabbing his wrists and then pinning them together against the pillow, bending himself awkwardly so he was still next to Richie. Both boys grinned down at him. The fear and confusion in his eyes fueling them to want even more. And when Richie pushed on the blade, causing Henry to whimper? It made them all the wilder. 

Eddie smiled at the noise. “What are you going to do?” 

“Get the fuck off me,” Henry yelled, finding his voice. “Fucking fags! Fuck off.”

After a wink to Eddie, Richie plunged the knife down into Henry’s shoulder. Blood poured out. He screamed. Eddie ran his fingers through it before smearing it down Henry’s face with a little giggle that sent Richie’s heart soaring. With a smile, Eddie traced his finger down Richie’s chest. Blood seeped into his black shirt; pooling on his chest and causing his chest to warm. And then Eddie drew a little love heart on Richie’s cheek. 

“Fucking freaks,” Henry howled.

“Yeah,” Richie agreed before plunging the knife back down. 

Later on, when Richie and Eddie were back at home, covered in blood and happy with the scene left behind, Maggie and Went pulled them into a hug. Both of them giggling as their heads were covered in kisses. Richie couldn’t think of a way his life could get any better.


	17. Chapter 17

The Losers Club sleepover had two unwritten rules. One; the sleepovers happened on a Friday night because everyone aside from Richie were always whisked away early Sunday morning. Two; sleepovers happened at the Toziers’ house because Maggie and Went were the most relaxed parents in Derry and two of them already lived there. The other, written rule, was that Richie wasn’t allowed to hold the popcorn bowl because no one wanted another popcorn fight, aside from Richie. 

However, one of these rules went away during the holidays. Because Eddie was at the Toziers house every night (aside from Sunday night) and parents were happy to have their kids gone any day. So the Friday rule was let go. Which led to Richie and Eddie, and their best puppy dog eyes, looking at Maggie and Went one Tuesday at dinner. School had just let out, they were twelve years old and -

“Five? I thought you only had two friends?” 

“Yeah,” Richie nodded, “we did! But now we’ve got new friends. Ben and Bev and Mike! And we really, really want to have a sleepover tomorrow! It would literally be the best thing ever.” 

Because, yes, over the last week of school the Losers had gone from 4 to 7. Impressive, seeing as no one fucking liked Richie, Eddie, Bill and Stan aside from themselves. And that was a well known fact. But, they’d gotten new friends. Three of them, and Bill had been happy that one of them was a girl (not that he liked her, he just thought it was cool). Richie and Eddie, unsurprisingly, didn’t care about that fact at all. But Bev was cool, so they were happy with her. 

Ben had actually been their first new friend. Stan brought him to lunch with them because he was kind of new to town. At first Richie had been pissed - he didn’t like change and he certainly didn’t like Eddie hanging out with other dudes (Bill and Stan were a stretch some days). But then Stan had teased him for his (very straight) crush on Bev and Richie relaxed slightly. He and Eddie got along, both of them kind of nerdy, but Eddie didn’t look at Ben like he looked up at Richie. Nowhere near it. 

It had been Richie who got Bev involved with the group. He had asked her to sit with them, really just to make fun of Ben. She had asked if Richie was inviting her to a threesome with him and Eddie, Eddie had answered with ‘I’m sure Rich would be happy, but I’ve got to say no’ and Bev had cracked up, made a joke about herself being a whore and then Richie got a new best friend (and so did Eddie, seeing as he always hung out with Bev now). 

Mike had been brought to the group by Ben and Bill. He’d fallen off his bike and it had broken so they helped him to the Toziers on the last day of school. He and Eddie had fixed it up but Mike didn’t leave. Eddie was spellbound by Mike’s animal stories, Stan and Ben talked about all sorts of books with him. And Bill looked at him like he was the best thing ever. So they made the decision that Mike was the newest member of the Loser's club. No matter what he said - turns out he was pretty happy with it. And that was awesome because Mike turned out to be a really nice guy. So that made seven Losers (and Georgie who adored Eddie, more than Bill sometimes). 

It also meant that the most relaxed parents in town were now hesitant to have them all over.

“Think about it this way,” Richie sugged, “I’m asking for two friends to come over and Eddie’s asking for three. It’s not so bad now!” 

“There’s still seven kids in the house.”

“Richie could leave,” Eddie suggested, which got him a flick on the back of the head. 

Maggie nodded, agreeing with Eddie. Richie flipped them both off. Eddie giggled before crowding into Richie’s space, practically sitting on his lap. Richie rolled his eyes with a smile and shifted them so that Eddie was on his lap and then proceeded to feed the both of them their dinner. They turned their attention back to their parents, Richie continuing to list the benefits of letting them have the sleepover. “You’re letting us have social interactions, which is needed in the development of young boys.” 

“I made it so that your best friend lives with you almost all week,” Maggie pointed out. 

“Bill lives here?”

Richie laughed without humour, “you say that and I want to kill Bill, just so you know.”

“You’re so dramatic.”

“I’m telling the truth.”

“Dramatic.”

Went sighed, cutting them off. “You’ll stay in your room the entire time?” Both boys nodded quickly. “That’s not going to happen, is it? You’ll be down here and begging me for the TV before the sun goes down.” 

“False. I’ll send Eddie down because he has better puppy dog eyes. Don’t you, puppy?”

“Don’t call me that. And yes.”

Maggie and Went looked at each other before nodding. Smiling when both of their boys cheered and thanked them. 

Beverly arrived first. Maggie let her in and Eddie and Richie rushed down the stairs, she sent them an assumed look behind her head. Last time a girl with that coloured hair had been in their house, she hadn’t walked out. Richie smiled back. It was a cruel twist of fate that Richie would become friends with Beverly Marsh after he had been the one to kill her mother all those years ago. But that was just how the world worked sometimes. Besides, it wasn’t even that big of a deal. Eddie was too busy hugging his new friend to see that this silent conversation was happening. Richie did find it a bit strange how quickly the two of them became so close. Especially how they seemed to understand each other more than any other. 

Everyone aside from Stan arrived pretty much at the same time, almost instantly after Beverly. They hung out in the foyer while they all arrived, chatting and catching up. All of them aside from Beverly and Eddie had a phone now, so they had talked over night, but it wasn’t the same. Bill (and Stan) were comfortable in the house but the other three were a bit more hesitant. Everyone knew the rumours about the Toziers. 

“Mi casa is - whatever the rest of that sentence. Help yourself to anything aside from my porn mags. Those are mine.” 

“That’s so gross,” Eddie made a face. “You’re disgusting.”

“Really living up that nickname, huh?” Bev asked. She, Mike and Ben were looking at all the family photos lined up in the foyer. Richie loved the photos simply because there were so many of Eddie. Beverly turned to Eddie, “I couldn’t live with him.”

He laughed, “I can hardly stand it.”

“Ha ha.” Richie muttered. He knew full well that Eddie loved it here. “Ah,” he said when he caught Ben and Mike looking at a photo of Richie and Eddie outside the court hall when they were nine. “That was the day that Eddie became a Tozier. Officially and all that. Best day of my life. Isn’t that right, Eds?”

“Huh?” Eddie looked over at them, he hadn’t been listening then. Too busy talking to Bill and Beverly. Richie liked his new friends, truly, but he wasn’t all that happy that he was now sharing Eddie’s attention between six. “What are you on about now?”

“Best day of your life?” He asked again, pointing at the picture. Richie didn’t miss the confused look on Ben’s face as he watched the interaction. Didn’t miss the confused look Mike sent Ben, either. He turned his attention back to Eddie, “legally you have to say yes.”

Eddie got a dopey little grin on his face. “I guess.”

“You’re so rude. Honestly.” 

“So, Mr Tozier,” Beverly cut in as Eddie smiled at Richie all innocent-like, “what amazing games and activities have you planned for us this evening?” 

“Truth or dare.”

“Absolutely not,” Stan said, walking into the foyer. Bill and Eddie nodded. “I am never playing that with you. Not after last time. Hi.”

Richie grinned, “what an entrance.”

“It’s what I’m known for.”

“And here I thought you were known for being the only Jew in town.”

“That too.”

Ben laughed, “you guys are weird. It’s fun.”

“Thank you,” Richie winked at him as Maggie walked in. 

She rested an arm on Eddie’s head, as she often did now, smiling when he groaned and tried to throw her off. He did not succeed, like always. Not like he was trying his hardest anyway. Eddie had always liked it when Maggie had messed around him, Richie could tell that he did. And that he had done since he was 5. Maggie smiled warmly at everyone in the foyer, waving at the three kids she didn’t know. “There are a lot of children in my foyer right now. And I do not know all of them.”

“Well, you know me. Your favourite child -”

“I’m her favourite,” Eddie interrupted. 

“Aw,” Maggie smiled, “you’re both my favourites.”

“Sucks to be dad.”

Maggie rolled her eyes, turning back to the other children. “It’s nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you all. Eddie and Richie have been non-stop talking about you the past week. Hi, Bill and Stan. I know you already.”

“We have not been non-stop talking,” Richie muttered. 

“It’s not that far fetched,” Beverly replied. 

“No it is not,” Maggie nodded. “Went and I will be in the living room if you need us. And then in our bedroom. Let us know if you need anything. Feel free to bully Richie if you want to but leave Eddie alone.”

“What the fuck, mom?” Richie made an offended face. Eddie giggled as Maggie dropped her arm, only to be replaced with Richie wrapping him up in a tight hug. “Don’t listen to her, ever, she’s losing more of it every single day. Isn’t she, Eds?”

“Sorry, I like mom more than you.”

Ben’s face was still confused and Richie couldn't figure out why. It was pissing him off, he didn’t like it when he couldn't read a person. All of the Toziers were good at it. Needed to be good at it. But here was Ben, and Mike to an extent, confused. About Eddie from the looks of it. Maybe that was it; they were confused as to why Richie and Eddie were married, why they acted this way. A lot of people were shocked and confused when they found out about their situation. 

Whatever. Richie ushered everyone upstairs to his and Eddie’s room. He was easy with what they did, but they should probably put their bags away first. The mattress from the spare room was already on the floor as well as the blow up one. Again, Richie didn’t miss Ben and Mike’s confused glance when they got into the room. Mike staring at the pictures of him and Eddie on the wall and Ben at the king sized bed. “I still think we should play truth or dare,” Richie said before throwing himself onto the bed, dragging Eddie down with him. “It’s the best sleepover game.”

“You just want to make out with Eddie.”

Richie stuck his tongue out at Stan, watching as Ben paled and Mike’s eyes widened as Stan spoke. What was with them? Homophobic maybe? “Now, don’t be rude. I’d happily make out with Benny as well. I’m all for free love.” Ben didn’t really react to that.

“Free love?” Eddie repeated with a laugh before trying to copy Richie’s voice. It was passable. “Whenever you spend time with your friends I wanna kill them, wah wah wah. I’m a possessive baby.” 

“Free love for me, baby, not you,” Richie shrugged. Eddie laughed again when Bill threw a pillow at the both of them. Richie just smiled, digging his fingers into Eddie’s side. He’d get Eddie back for that comment later on. Once they were all alone again. Eddie grinned at Richie, little shit knew exactly what Richie was thinking. Richie threw the pillow back at Bill, “what about the bowling set? Eds and I got that out the other day.”

“F-fuck yeah. I ha-have to b-beat you again.” 

“Bowling set?” Beverly asked as Richie and Eddie got up, still holding hands. “Sounds fun.”

Stan nodded and they started walking out of the room, “Maggie and Went gave it to Eddie when we were young. We’ve had a competition running since we were about six. Bill’s reigning champion.”

“Well know I want to win,” she replied. 

“How long have you been coming here?” Ben asked, “Eddie, I mean.”

“Since I was five. But that was only after school on Friday’s. It took a while to get to this point, you know?”

Richie watched the conversation with his full attention. There was something else to Ben’s words and Mike’s gentle gaze. It would be a shame if Richie found out that he had to kill the two of them. They were good friends, fun to be around. Definitely wasn’t something that Richie wanted to do any time soon. Mike’s gaze shifted to a photo of Eddie and Richie when they went to an amusement park, they were wrapped up in each other with Richie kissing Eddie on the check. Totally innocent. Mike turned back to Eddie when Ben continued.

“How long do you spend here now?”

“Mom picks me up on Wednesday from school and then my mom picks me up on Sunday for Church. Holidays and stuff I stay here.”

“Lucky you,” Richie wiggled his eyebrows. 

“I don’t know,” Beverly laughed. “I’d hate to spend that much time with you.”

Bill opened the back door, letting everyone else out first. “Y-you’re r-right there.”

“Why do you guys say that so much? Eddie sacrificed a whole lot to get here, didn’t you?” 

“What? Spending time with my narcotic mother who I’m pretty sure hates me? Yeah, I gave up so much. Bill, Bev, be in my team.”

“Looks like you guys are stuck with me,” Richie said to the others. “Just like Eddie is.”

“Richie,” Mike said after sharing a look with Ben, “can I ask you a question. And don’t take it the wrong way.”

“Okay?”

Mike and Ben looked at each other; Richie looked at Eddie. Everyone was watching the conversation. Bill and Stan looked just as confused. Mike continued: “how are you and Eddie related?”

“What?” Both Richie and Eddie asked at the same time. Bill, Stan and Beverly looked just as confused as Richie felt. 

“We’re just confused. Eddie lives here and is a Tozier, right? But then he lives with his mom sometimes as well?” Ben answered. “I thought you were brothers, but then Eddie talked about his mom so I kind of assumed half brother? But he calls Maggie mom as well. And then there’s all the - touching. It’s just, Mike and I don’t know what it means.”

It took three seconds for Richie to burst out into laughter. Eddie quickly following suit. “No, we’re not brothers. We’re married.”

Now Ben and Mike just looked dumbfounded. Eddie nodded, giggling still. “Richie and I got married when we were younger. It’s why I spend half my time here and the other half there.”

“You’re married?” Mike asked with an air of disbelief. “What? Why?” 

“Do we need to get out the marriage license?” Richie answered. “We’re married because we love each other.” 

“Oh,” Ben nodded. “That - makes sense.”

“It doesn’t,” Stan replied.

Bill nodded, “they’re both insane b-but you g-get used to it.”

“Right,” Mike said.

“Ready to play?” Richie asked, suddenly a lot lighter for knowing why Ben and Mike seemed so tense. It was funny though, because Richie had never even thought that people who didn’t know they were married existed. Everyone nodded. “Alright team Richie. Let’s crush them!” 

They did not crush them. Eddie and Bill were always good at the game, teaming up everytime to fuck Richie and Stan over. Had been doing it for years, ever since Eddie was six and was pissed at Richie so he played with Bill. It had stuck. And it turns out that Bev was just as good, if not better than them. Even with four of them on one team they lost, badly. Once they called it quits, because there was no way they could come back, Bev cheered and pulled both Bill and Eddie into a hug. 

Richie could deal with that. Eddie and Beverly, in the short week they’d been friends, had hugged a whole lot. That wasn’t surprising in itself, Eddie loved physical touch. Would often lay across another member of the Tozier family when they were watching TV. He would always hold Richie’s hand and would cuddle up next to him when they were standing. And when they were younger he’d hold hands with Bill and Stan, hug them hello and goodbye, sit on their laps. 

When they had gotten older, eight or nine, Richie had started pulling him away. Not liking it when Eddie was getting comfort from anyone other than himself. Eddie hadn’t loved that change, forgetting often and receiving glares or getting told off for it later on. But he’d gotten used to the idea and very rarely touched the others. Richie could deal with the occasional hug. Richie couldn’t deal with Eddie walking around town with Bill holding his hand. Georgie, because he was little, was exempt from this rule. And Richie was pretty sure that Eddie would kill Richie if he wasn’t allowed to cuddle with Georgie. 

But Beverly was a girl. Eddie was gay. It was fine. There was nothing wrong with the two of them hugging. But now Bill was hugging him. And that wasn’t okay. Because they were pressed up against each other. Bill had his arms around Eddie’s neck and Eddie around Bill’s waist. That’s how Richie and Eddie hugged. They were jumping up and down, grinning at each other while Beverly clapped and cheered. It didn’t matter that they were celebrating and that it meant nothing. All that mattered was that Bill was holding Eddie. Touching Eddie. 

So Richie did the only thing he could. Walked over and ripped Eddie out of Bill’s grasp. 

Eddie gasped, slamming into Richie’s chest. His hands going to his throat where his shirt caught because of Richie’s pull. Bill looked confused, Beverly fell silent. Richie wrapped his arms around Eddie’s waist. He could feel where Bill had touched him, how it was wrong and dirty now. All because of Bill. Poor Eddie. Eddie whimpered, probably feeling the same thing.

“Don’t touch him. He’s not yours.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Losers are here! We'll be seeing lots of them, don't worry!


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is another moment that I had in my mind long before I even started planning this fic out. 
> 
> Warning: It's pretty fucked. Also NSFW

That same summer saw one of the worst days of Richie’s life. 

But also, in a sick and disgusting way, one of the best days of his life. 

It started out like any normal day. It was Tuesday, in the final weeks of the holidays, which meant that Eddie was in Richie’s bed. They woke up together, got dressed and headed downstairs for breakfast. Went was home that day, no appointments until midday, so he and Maggie were already up and moving about. It wasn’t necessarily normal for him to be home but it wasn't that uncommon. And it was pretty cool ‘cause he made really nice smoothies.

“What are you two doing today?” Maggie asked over their cereal breakfast. Richie loved watching Eddie eat. Even after being with them for so long, he got so excited when he was allowed food that he actually wanted. His mother was still feeding him, what Richie could only describe as, gruel. Surely she must know that he ate well with the Toziers. Maggie continued, pulling Richie out of his thoughts. “I’ve got lunch with Carol.”

“Who the fuck is Carol?” Richie asked. 

“One of our neighbours. She invited me and a few other women on the street over.”

“Gross,” Richie paused. “When we’re older we’re going to be everyone’s gay best friend.”

Everyone laughed, Eddie lightly kicking their feet under the table with a dopey little smile on his cute little face. As if he was imaging them as adults; living in some suburb of LA, rich and famous of course. The token gays of the street that everyone wanted to be friends simply because they were gay; nothing like Derry. Where everyone wanted them dead just because they were gay. That would be nice. Richie kicked back. Eddie turned to Maggie, “I’m going out with Bev today.”

“You are?” Richie asked.

“I asked last night,” he laughed. “You said it was fine.”

“Really? I have no memory of this.”

Maggie passed Eddie a cup of tea (the little nerd had fallen in love with after Ben gave him some. Now the Tozier’s pantry was full of the stuff). “That’ll be fun. What are you going to do?”

“Get ice cream and complain about our parents,” he paused. “Biological.” 

“Feel free to complain about us,” Went replied. 

“There’s just too much to complain about, you know?” 

Went nodded, “I totally get that. Beverly likes Ben, doesn’t she?”

“And he loves her,” Richie nodded. “You’re too involved in our friends' lives.”

“Anyone who isn’t blind can see those two like each other. It’s cute.”

“They remind me of us,” Maggie smiled at Went. “That’s how old we were when we started dating. You were head over heels, I thought you were very sweet. Perhaps they’ll end up married as well.”

“Sucks to be all of you guys,” Richie replied; cutting over Went. “Having a crush when you’re twelve. Could you imagine that, Eds? Not being married by the time you’re ten? I couldn’t do it.”

Eddie shook his head with a small smile, “you’re so stupid. I’ve gotta go and get ready.”

“This isn’t fair, why couldn’t you go out when you’re at Sonia’s? Why do I have to be affected by this?”

“Because I don’t live with my mom right now? And she hates all of you guys so she wouldn’t let me go anyway. Besides you like Beverly.”

“Don’t like you being away from me for any length of time though.” 

He stood up, kissing Richie on the cheek. It was such a little thing, an innocent little gesture that made Richie’s stomach turn and his whole body heat up. They were married, were not strangers to intimacy and had been together for a long, long time. But when Eddie kissed his cheek like that, it meant so much to him. Sure, making out with his husband was really nice, but those little things were something else entirely. 

Not long after Eddie left, Richie found himself in the living room while his parents were in the kitchen. The TV was on and switched to the game Richie liked, his favourite drink beside him. After only a round Eddie came downstairs, dressed nicely and groomed perfectly. That was something that they differed in; where Eddie liked overalls and jumpers, short shorts and pastel polos, Richie liked ripped jeans and band shirts with hilarious awful printed shirts or shorts that had the most ridiculous patterns. Richie may think the way Eddie dressed was funny but he couldn’t deny that his husband was always cute, cute, cute.

Eddie walked over to him and pressed a kiss to Richie’s temple. “I’ll see you around one.”

“You’re too cute. Go and get changed.” 

“I’m seeing Beverly,” Eddie laughed, “not Bill.”

Perhaps Richie wasn’t as good at hiding his feelings as he thought he was. Never mind that, at least Eddie knew that he wasn’t to look cute cute cute in front of Bill (especially if Richie wasn’t there). “Well, if Bill does arrive, smear mud on your face.” At that comment, Eddie made a face. Even after all these years with the Toziers, he still hated getting messy; playing outside, playing in the basement or playing with each other. He had to stay clean. 

“I’ll see you later.”

He went to walk away but Richie shot out and his hand grabbed his wrist. “Hang on. You’re too cute. Don’t leave me here like this!”

“You’re so dumb,” Eddie replied with a giggle in that way that meant ‘I love you’. Richie didn’t let go. “I’m going to be late!”

“So? I’m hard and in need of your service.”

“I don’t want to get dirty.”

“Use your hands and then wash them,” Richie snapped. Eddie rolled his eyes. A ball of anger settled in Richie’s stomach. Don’t get him wrong; Richie wasn’t an angry person. But this was really starting to piss him off. Eddie was tugging at his arm. Eddie was saying no to Richie. Eddie was not behaving in a way that was acceptable for him to behave. Usually, Richie could have a giggle with Eddie over this kind of thing. But today, at that moment, he wasn’t happy. 

Eddie tugged again. “Let go, Richie. I’m going to see Bev. Now.”

“No,” Richie pulled as hard as he could. It ended with Eddie falling to his knees in between Richie’s spread legs and whimpering, his hand flying up to cradle his shoulder. “Do as you’re told. Give me a handjob.”

“You’re hurting me.”

“I don’t care. Hurry up.”

And, for some reason unknown to Richie, Eddie said no again. Eddie never said no. 

Really all of this was his fault. 

Richie, still holding his wrist, grabbed Eddie’s elbow in his hand. He moved Eddie, who was suddenly a lot more malleable so that his arm was above Richie’s leg. Eddie whimpered again when his shoulder was moved. Truly Richie was just going to move Eddie so that he would do as he was told. But then Eddie pulled again. He tried to getaway. Richie had never felt so angry. 

He brought Eddie’s arm down. 

The snap sounded first. Loud and defined. And then Eddie screamed. 

There was no blood but Eddie’s arm was wobbly and wrong. He looked like his arm was made of slime. He had gone white, so white that he was almost grey. Eyes wide and already overflowing with tears. His breaths were short, as if he was panting from the pain. He looked like a wreck. 

Maggie and Went were in the living room almost before Richie had time to marvel at how pretty Eddie looked. Both of them gasped when they saw the two boys. Their eyes flicking between Eddie and Richie. They looked shocked, scared almost. But that wasn’t important. 

What was important was the fact that Richie still hadn’t gotten what he wanted. Eddie had been punished but he needed to make up for it as well. What was almost as important was that Eddie hadn’t moved. He was simply staring up at Richie like he couldn’t quite believe what had just happened. Richie cupped his cheek, smiling when Eddie made a little noise, and collected the tears falling rapidly now. 

“We need to go to the hospital,” Maggie said after a tense moment of silence - save Eddie’s little whimpers and pants. “Quickly.”

“No,” Richie replied. His parents froze as quickly as they had started moving. “Eddie needs to do as he was told and give me a fucking handjob. Don’t you, baby?” Richie asked; staring down at the boy in between his legs. Eddie nodded once, silently. “We’ll go to the hospital once he’s finished.”

“Richie -” Went started.

“When he’s finished.” 

His parents looked at each other again. Richie paid them no mind, turning his attention back to Eddie. He still looked like he was hurting, face ghostly white, but now had something else in his eyes. At first, Richie thought it might be shock, maybe from the pain or because Richie had done something so intense. But then Richie saw what Eddie was really feeling. They were so good at reading each other that Eddie couldn’t hide it. Eddie was angry. 

Fine, let him be angry. Let him pissed off at Richie. Let him feel all those negative emotions now. And then he’d finish his task and realize that he had no need for anger. No need to feel anything other than the shame that he hadn’t done what was asked of him and that he had then needed to be punished for it. Those negative emotions that Richie never wanted directed towards him would soon be directed inwards. He just needed to get Eddie to that place first. 

“Baby, I know you know what to do. I don’t want to have to ask again.”

With a whine, Eddie lifted his unbroken arm. It looked funny, how he tried not to move his body while he went. His hand landing on the top of Richie’s thighs and resting there for a moment. Richie wasn’t an asshole, he unzipped his own pants and got everything ready for Eddie so that he didn’t have to struggle. If he wanted to he could make Eddie do everything, make it hurt a hell of a lot more. But neither of them needed that, even little Eddie didn’t need that. 

Eddie’s movements were sloppy and unorganised, he’d stop randomly to take long deep breaths. Every time he moved he’d whimper or whine or his breath would catch. His eyes would screw up like they did whenever he was in pain. He didn’t move any part of his body other than one arm. Eddie didn’t stop crying softly the entire time. There were no comments on his end, none on Richie’s either. It was, maybe aside from when they were young, the worst handjob he’d ever given. 

Richie finished in record time. 

He was quick to recover, looking down at a now sobbing Eddie. God, he looked like an absolute mess. He had been moved, when Richie had told him to open his mouth. His arm jostled. Richie couldn’t imagine the amount of pain he was in. From the looks of it, neither could Eddie. Underneath his flushed cheeks, he was almost green. If he made it to the hospital without passing out it would be a miracle. 

“Are you done?” Went asked. Maggie was nowhere to be seen, but the car starting up in the garage gave a pretty good indication. 

“Yeah, we’re done.”

Went came over as Richie spoke. As carefully as he could, he lifted Eddie up and started carrying him out. That was something Richie liked about his dad; that he went from throwing their victims around like they were nothing more than a bag of trash to carrying Eddie so carefully because he didn’t want Eddie to hurt. Richie couldn’t explain why he liked it as much as he did. He just did. 

Maggie, as predicted, was waiting in the car outside their house. Eddie was placed in the back, Richie climbing in after him and holding his unbroken hand. “We’re going to say that we were wrestling,” Richie said. Eddie nodded once. “And that it was an accident and we came straight to the hospital once our parents came back from the shops. Aren’t we?” All of the Toziers nodded. 

Both of his parents looked like they wanted to say something. Didn’t matter. There was nothing to say.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eddie's POV!
> 
> TW: Sonia & murder

Eddie Tozier knew a few things for certain. The most important things he knew? That he loved Richie and Richie loved him. Did anything else matter? Eddie couldn’t see why it would. He and Richie were meant to be, and that was that. 

Sonia didn’t think so. Still.

“Do you want to go to their house this week?” She asked on Wednesday morning. Eddie was fifteen years old, had been going to the Toziers for a whole decade now. But every single Wednesday morning for the past six years, over shitty oatmeal, she asked the same question. Are you sure that you want to go there? Eddie was really fucking sick of it. He had never, aside from one week when they were young, chosen to skip. He’d nearly walked out of her life entirely just to prove that he loved them more than her. And yet, every week, he got this. 

“Yes, ma. I want to.”

She clicked her tongue, shovelling more food into her face. “Because I won’t mind if you decide that you don’t want to go. And they won’t either.”

“I know,” Eddie said. The Toziers would absolutely mind if Eddie decided to skip a week of his own accord. Richie more so. He’d probably kick Sonia’s front door down and drag him back home if Eddie even tried to stay with his mother. But Eddie couldn’t say that to his mother. “I like going there. A lot. Because I love Richie.”

“It’s like you don’t love me,” Sonia slammed her bowl down. “All you want to do is go and spend time with that boy or your other, friends. You don’t want to spend time with me. Why do you hate me, Eddie?” 

“Ma,” Eddie sighed. 

When Eddie was young he hated hearing that. Hated the thought that his mother thought he hated her. Because he hadn’t wanted her to think that about him. He loved the Toziers, yes, but he loved her as well (maybe less so, but it was still there). Even when she was angry at him, calling him all sorts of names because of who he was married to. Eddie loved her. It wasn’t a thought that he entertained: not loving his mother. 

Sure, he didn’t like her very much. But the love was there, always. And Eddie would be damned if she didn’t know that. So she would say things like that. Cry that Eddie abandoning her was going to kill her one day soon. Eddie would get scared and upset, what thirteen year old wouldn’t feel like that? And Eddie would call Bill or Richie or Beverly or whatever Loser and apologize and say that he couldn’t come out. Bill and Bev would say that it was okay, that they could rearrange - Beverly in that all-knowing tone. Richie would stay silent for a long time, and then offer to get rid of the problem in his own way. And then, when Eddie declined, Richie would call Eddie brave and tell him how much he loved him. Then Eddie wouldn’t feel as bad, so that was nice. 

Now, though? Well, Eddie didn’t really know. He told everyone he hated her. But it wasn’t that simple. Richie probably knew that. Richie knew everything about Eddie. Often he knew more than Eddie. 

“We chose to split my time because I love you. You know that.”

“And when Richie’s sixteen? When suddenly I have no power over you like a normal mother?” She cried out. Eddie didn’t mention that she didn’t have any power over him, in a legal sense anyway. It was only that the Tozier’s let her have a say. She didn’t like it when Eddie talked highly of his other family. “Oh, Eddie, they’re going to take you away from me and we’ll never see each other again!”

“I’m staying with you until Richie and I go to college, ma, I’ve told you that before.”

She faked a sob. “And then? That disgusting fag will never you let you see me again.”

“Richie doesn’t get to make that decision,” Eddie shook his head. Richie might say otherwise but at the end of the day - Well, Eddie wasn’t called the Spoiled Tozier for no reason. He had Richie wrapped around his finger as much as Richie was in charge of him. But then again, it wouldn’t be hard for Richie to convince Eddie not to come back to Derry once they had run as far away as possible. “Please don’t call him that.”

“They’ve brainwashed you.”

Nothing new then, Eddie thought as he finished up his oatmeal. Hopefully, Richie would bring him something to eat when he and Maggie picked him up (he did every Monday through Wednesday morning). This kind of conversation (and the hysterics) were a fortnightly thing nowadays. Especially with Richie’s sixteenth coming up in only a few weeks. Eddie really needed to figure out what to get him. It was really hard to shop for him, all he ever said was that he wanted Eddie. Which was sweet and all, but still way too hard to shop for. Perhaps Eddie could get some kind of sexy dress up thing. Richie did like that kind of thing.

“They’re dangerous, Eddie,” Sonia continued. She really needed to get new lines; Eddie had been hearing this since he was about seven and a half. And yeah, she wasn’t wrong. But Eddie was just as dangerous as them. “They don’t care about you! Remember when you broke your arm.”

“My fault,” Eddie muttered. Shame ate away at him whenever he thought about that morning, only a few years ago. Poor Richie, having to do that. All because Eddie was misbehaving. It was disgusting. A car horn beeped outside. Maggie. They weren’t allowed inside anymore, not for anything. “I’ve got to go, ma. I’ll see you on Sunday for Church.”

Sonia snatched his wrist as he walked past. She didn’t let Eddie pull out, keeping her grip hard. Harder than Richie. Eddie made a face and went to protest. “Eddie, when you turn eighteen, you will be getting a divorce and we will be moving away from here. There are no arguments.” She let go. Eddie stared at her for a moment, she was no stranger to hurting Eddie, but it wasn’t common. 

There was an argument that Eddie could think of. He grabbed his bag and walked out of his house. A simple knife to the throat would be argument enough. A plastic bag over her head, secured at her neck. Or perhaps the Tozier’s would let him get really messy with it. Or maybe Eddie would sit back and let Richie do whatever he pleased. After all, it was up to Richie. Everything, Eddie thought as he slid in the back seat, was up to Richie. Death of his mother included. Right?

“You’re quiet,” Beverly said the following Monday. They had home ec together. Eddie’s favourite class and one of Bev’s worst. The two of them made a good pair. “Usually you’re trying to bore me with stories of you and Richie from Saturday.”

“Haha,” Eddie rolled his eyes. “My mother.”

“Wicked witch of the west.”

“Yup. She’s upped her usual amount of homophobic bullshit,” Eddie admitted. “Even that homophobic lady at church was shocked by what she had to say.”

Most of the school had gotten over the whole gay thing. A few times a year Eddie would find ‘sinner’ or ‘fag’ written on his locker. Sometimes someone would comment, but after Richie knocked out a bully when they were fourteen and then threatened to kill another one only two weeks later, everyone was pretty much silent. It was also just old news. There were only so many times you could call someone a fag to no response before it got borning. Which made school a whole lot nicer. 

Sonia, however, didn’t feel this way. She was still strongly in the ‘my son is not actually gay, he is being brainwashed into thinking he is’ camp. All of the Losers found this to be very funny, Richie especially. Eddie wasn’t exactly the most macho guy in town, which Richie loved to point out (not like he was much better). The church, aside from a few older members, had also come to love Eddie and, at the very least, respect that he was gay. Most of them supported him, much to the disgust of Sonia. 

Beverly made a face, “why?”

“I’ve been spending more time with you, maybe she thinks we’re secretly dating.”

“Gross,” Beverly replied, causing Eddie to laugh. Even if he was still tense. “Is it because you’re getting older or something?”

“Who knows. She knows that the Toziers lose legal custody over Richie and me in like a month and when she found out that we were getting married she made them promise to give me a say in the whole thing. So maybe she’s hopeful I’ll declare that I hate Richie then or something. Whatever she’s thinking, it’s wrong.”

“I don’t think she’s ever been right.”

Eddie shrugged, “she thinks that Richie’s a loud-mouthed know-it-all. She’s not exactly wrong. What about you and your shitty parent?”

“He’s shitty as always. Basically been blackout drunk all week so who cares, makes my life easier. I love it when he isn’t near me. I’ll tell Richie you said that, by the way.”

He laughed again. Beverly always made him feel human. “I tell him that every night.”

Eddie had his head in Maggie’s lap as they watched reruns of Say Yes to the Dress. Screw them, it was a great show. Richie was beside them, Eddie’s feet on his lap (spoiled house pet) and was on his phone, already stating how much he hated the show. Sometimes Eddie wished he could have his own phone. He was almost sixteen after all. But Sonia had been adamant that he didn’t need one, and that he wasn’t allowed one in her house. Maggie and Went had offered but Eddie felt so bad, asking for that much, so he said no. He and Richie could share anyway. It wasn’t like they were apart very often.

“She looks like a pumpkin,” Richie said, not looking up.

“Yeah,” Eddie nodded. “It’s not the best outfit.” 

Richie pointed to the picture of them above the fireplace, it had been taken at the McDonalds after their wedding. “That’s fashion, right there.”

“Ah yes,” Maggie nodded, “your Star Wars shirt and Eddie’s Captain America shirt scream high fashion.” 

“Mom!” Richie whined, “that’s Star Trek. How many times?”

“They are the same thing and I stand by that.”

Eddie was pretty sure that Richie was about to argue his own point but Eddie cut in front of him, asking: “if my mom died, I’d come here, right?” 

Both Maggie and Richie looked at him like he was insane. Finally, Richie spoke up, “Eds, I would literally gut anyone who tried to say otherwise,” he stopped frowning and leant over to pinch his cheeks with a grin. “Silly baby.”

“Thank you,” Eddie said instead of rising to the jab, cupping Richie’s hand against his own cheek.

“For what, baby?”

“Being you.”

That Friday it was Bill’s turn. Apparently Eddie looked as shitty as he felt. He had gone over to the Denbroughs after school to work on an English assignment and for dinner - Richie with Stan and Ben somewhere else - and then the two of them had gone up to Bill’s room. It had been a fight, to let Eddie go over to Bill’s. But Eddie had gotten his way. All it cost him was the promise of a blow job and a make-out session (resulting in a fuck tone of hickies) before he left. Both things that would have happened anyway. 

For a while, just after Eddie’s arm was broken, Richie had been more relaxed. And then Bill had come to the both of them and asked how they knew they were gay (Richie when he saw Eddie, Eddie didn't have a specific moment, he was just with Richie). Richie had looked almost angry when he asked ‘why’. But neither was all that surprised when he confessed that he (thought he) had a crush on Mike. 

“You look s-stressed,” Bill said as they watched youtube videos. Eddie’s eyes snapped from the photo of him and Mike on their first date to Bill when he spoke. “Like, for the last two weeks at least.”

“I am stressed.”

“What’s wrong? Is it Richie?”

Eddie shook his head, it was never Richie. “My mom has been a real bitch. She called me last night because there was an emergency. One of my aunts is sick and she decided to go on a whole rant about how the hospital she’s at has an aids patient and she’s just so worried about her sister. Heaven help her and all that.” 

“She’s s-still on about aids?” Bill asked. Eddie nodded, it had been a selling point of her anti-gay rants for years now. Had gotten to him a few times as well. He’d made Richie wear a condom for the first and only time because of it. Richie had whined but the thought of not having protection made Eddie literally sick, vomiting while Richie said he could wear one. “S-Sorry about your aunt, though.”

“I don’t even remember which one it is.” 

“Ignore her,” Bill advised. “Listen to Richie, I’m sure that he’s telling you to stop stressing as well.” 

“He keeps offering to have relaxation sex.”

Bill shivered, “I don’t wa-want to know. I can see your fucking neck.”

“He is helpful,” Eddie said - ignoring the fact that it was very much on purpose that Bill could see his neck. Even though everyone in their town knew that Eddie was Richie’s and all the Losers knew that Bill was with Mike. “Always has been.”

“I’m g-glad you have him. You and Bev deserve happiness, more than the rest of us. I wish your mother wasn’t in your life anymore. I know that’s ha-harsh but it’s true.”

Eddie kicked his foot against Bill’s, “you’re too sweet. All the Losers bring me happiness.” 

“Richie more than the rest, right?”

“Well, he does suck my-” Eddie was pushed off the bed before he could finish the sentence, both of them laughing louder than Eddie had in a long time. 

If Eddie was being smart about all this he would call Richie. Or Maggie or Went. But really Richie. Because while Maggie and Went were still their parents, Richie had been getting increasingly more and more defiant and it was Eddie’s place to follow his husband. Even if he wasn’t happy with where they were going. Richie would have something to say about this, Eddie knew that and yet he didn't call. If he was smart he would call the Toziers’ house. 

But he needed this. 

It was a Tuesday, he’d be picked up tomorrow morning and it would be all okay again. He would never have to think about this ever again. Richie would make sure that it was all sorted out. It would be perfect and easier and everyone would be happier for it. So maybe Eddie was actually smart for not calling Richie that night. It wasn’t like he hadn’t thought it through. Perhaps he had been planning this night from the moment he had met the Toziers, even if he didn’t know it. 

Eddie was crying and he had absolutely no idea why. 

Sonia was sleeping on her armchair when Eddie walked into the living room. 

It was easy to kneel down and pull out the syringe he had taken months ago from the basement of his real home. It was easy to think of all the benefits that this would bring. How it would make his life so much better and happier and easier. And how the Toziers wouldn’t mind. How they’d comfort him when he went there. Praise him even. Bill and Bev and all the Losers would be happy. None of them liked Sonia. 

God wouldn’t mind if he did this. Richie had told Eddie that God wasn’t angry with the Toziers for killing, how could he be? He killed too. And lots of Christians were homophobic but that didn’t mean God was, so people were wrong. The people who said it was bad weren’t speaking for God. Right? Richie had explained it all when they were little and Richie didn’t lie, or try to hurt Eddie. Everyone would be better off if Eddie did this.

Eddie was frozen. He couldn’t fucking move. His hands were shaking, tears falling as quick as his breaths were. What was he doing? Why was he doing it? If he had never met Richie, would he do this? If he wasn’t a Tozier, would he do this? If Sonia had been even a little bit nicer? If he was at Richie’s full time? So many fucking questions. To many, all screaming in Eddie’s head. 

He’d lived his entire life with maybes. He was so sick of it. He knew it was never going to stop. 

But he could stop these ones. 

She stirred, eyes opening and snapping down to Eddie. Eddie met her gaze and plunged the needle in between her toes. Before he could even think about it, he had done it. He rocked back on his heels, jumping up and pushing down on her shoulders. She looked at him, tears on her face and confusion deep in her eyes. After a moment she stopped struggling. Not once did she scream or cry out. And they stayed like that, staring at each other, until Sonia stopped moving. Eddie wiped the tears off her face, folded her hands on her lap, pressed a kiss to her forehead and stepped back.

And then Eddie walked to the Tozier’s. Went opened the door, only slightly shocked to see him standing on their front porch with tears still rolling down his face and no jacket on even though it was almost November. He was brought inside, Richie called downstairs and was offered a hot chocolate and a blanket. The shivering was so bad, and he hadn’t even noticed it. Was it from the cold or the crying? He couldn’t tell.

Richie cracked up with laughter when he found out what happened. He hugged Eddie as well, wrapping him up. Promising to make it all go away so that Eddie never had to think about it again. Just like Eddie knew he would. Maggie and Went promised that they would all be okay. That Eddie was going to come to them full time and in a month he’d be empanicated under his and Richie’s marriage. 

Maggie had asked why he didn’t talk to them first. Why he didn’t ask or have Riche beside him. Eddie had shrugged and answered as best as he could. He needed to do it, then and there, and alone. 

Richie said that he understood, that Eddie wasn’t in any trouble. And then he begged their mom to let them go and look after school. They did. They laughed. Eddie cried and Richie whispered more promises than Eddie cared to remember. They kissed. They fucked. Richie held Eddie has he cried more.

No one bothered to call the police until Sunday, when Sonia failed to show up to pick Eddie up. 

Then Eddie got to spend all of his time with the Toziers. And the random bursts of sadness, Eddie found, were very much worth it.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW// Murder

Richie didn’t even bring it up. Bill did. “So you’re fu-fully living with Richie now?”

“Yup. Twenty four-seven.”

“What’s it like?” Bev asked, her head in Ben’s lap and her feet up in Bill’s. All seven of them were in Mike’s barn one random afternoon. They were supposed to be discussing Bill’s sixteenth which was that weekend but the conversation was quick to change course; school, work, parents, Eddie and Richie living together. “I would imagine it’s dirty, loud and slightly other-worldly.” 

“Are you calling me a god?”

“Alien who’s impersonating a human.”

Eddie rolled his eyes, “it’s not dirty because I spend my days cleaning. It’s very loud, it’s Richie, what do you think? And he’s not Godly.”

“That’s not what you were saying last night.”

“I need you to shut up,” Stan said firmly.

“Have you ever thought of being a teacher?” Richie asked. 

“If the thought ever crossed my mind, it would be you that caused me to change the thought.”

Mike shook his head, “imagine having to teach Richie!” 

“Any class with the both of them,” Ben faked a shiver. “You’re both demons.”

“In bed!” Richie held his hand up for a high five, to which Eddie rolled his eyes but still did it, having to twist slightly seeing as he was sitting in Richie’s lap. The others losing groaned, Bill throwing a piece of popcorn at them and Beverly calling them annoyingly cute, to which Richie threw the same piece of popcorn at her. “Anyway,” he said once the laughter and yelling had died back down, “I’m a dream to live with.”

Eddie pat his hand twice, “between you and my mother, I’d choose you every day.”

“That is so sweet.”

“Only one of them is abusive and manipulative,” Eddie continued. Richie’s grip on his hip tightened. Only slightly, but he knew that Eddie would feel it. “Plus I’m allowed to bake cookies at his house.”

“Great, so the reason that you like living at my house with me is because your mom was a dick and we let you make cookies. Here I was thinking that it was because you loved me or something.” 

“Wishful thinking.”

Bill rolled his eyes and then said what would later result with Richie standing over a dead body in his basement: “my mom keeps t-talking about what happens if she and dad d-dies.”

“So does mine,” Stan said. “Asks me if I’d want to go to her sister or my dad’s brother.”

“I’d go to my cousins in Texas,” Ben made a face. “I hate Texas.” 

“My grandad and uncle will come and take over the farm if my parents die.”

“G-Georgie and I go to my mom’s mom. Georgie wants to go to his friend’s house.”

Eddie laughed, “Richie and I’ll take Georgie.”

“You’re on your own though, Big Bill.”

“Thank you s-so much. What about you, Bev?”

She shrugged, “my aunt. She said she’d move to Derry so that I wouldn’t have to leave.”

“We’ll take you too.”

“Thanks, Eddie. My aunt’s cool though, I haven’t seen her in a while but she seemed nice.”

“Mom or dad’s side?” Mike asked.

“Mom’s. Everyone on my dad’s side is a complete dick. Just like him.”

Everyone’s faces fell at that. She smiled at them. Eddie sighed, “I’m sorry you have to deal with him.”

“Nah, it’s fine.”

“It’s not,” Ben said.

“B-Ben’s right. You don’t deserve it.”

“Dick dads don't deserve darling daughters.” 

Her smile brightened, “you guys are so sweet. And thanks, Richie, for that darling alliteration.”

“You're so welcome.”

“Can we do anything?” Stan asked.

“Short of killing him?”

“I think I could get away with murder,” Mike declared. 

Eddie nodded, “I think you could. Ben couldn’t, he’d confess out of guilt. Bill’d make a mistake. Stan and Bev would never get caught. Stan because he’s too good, Bev because she goes on to make a life of crime.” 

“Thanks,” both Bev and Stan said at the same time.

“That’s rude,” Bill muttered.

“I can’t say you’re wrong,” Ben shrugged. “What about you and Richie?” 

“We’re serial killers. We never get caught.” 

“Bull shit,” Bev scoffed. 

Stan nodded, “no way you two could get away with it.”

“Are we killing Alvin or not?” Richie asked.

“Yes,” Bill nodded. “Keep up.”

“Richie and I will, because we could totally get away with it!”

“A distant cousin of mine killed his neighbour,” Ben admitted. “He’s in jail now.”

Richie’s head was reeling. The Losers moved on after that, talking about their crazy extended family stories - Richie didn’t have any, his dad had killed his parents and his mom had been taken when she was twelve and didn’t remember anything from before she was Went’s. Eddie looked at him curiously when he realised that Richie wasn’t inputting anything, not even dirty jokes about Stan’s cousins just to piss him off. He just shook his head, silently telling him to drop it knowing that Eddie would bring it up later on.

After he killed Sonia, Eddie was a different person. Sonia was in no way his first kill, not even his first solo. Yes, she was the first and only person that Eddie had killed without Richie telling him to, but she was not his first. That had gone to some random man they’d picked up that Richie had forgotten years ago. He was nothing, that’s why it didn’t change Eddie. His death meant nothing.

But Sonia’s death, that meant something. It meant a freedom that he’d never had, even at the Toziers. It had meant a life free of her wicked glare and awful words. It meant that Eddie was happier, safer and better. Sonia’s death was unarguably a good and justified death. No matter what others said. Like the church, who had mourned her with Eddie for weeks afterwards. 

God, that had been a shit period of their lives. Because while it was a good thing that she was gone and Eddie celebrated with them, he still crashed constantly. Richie’s mind played a montage of all the times he’d walked into their room to see Eddie sobbing on their bed, or worse - sitting and staring at the wall silently. He’d confessed that he missed her, Richie knew that already. He also knew that Eddie had conflicting thoughts. He’d known that since the first Friday he ever came over. 

Here’s where Richie was thinking. Because, overall, Eddie was happier. His mother couldn’t hurt him anymore. There were leftovers but they were working on that every single day and getting better. It wouldn’t be this way forever. Hell, even in the last two months it had gotten better. The amount of times Eddie broke down now? Less than once a week. And he’d confessed that he felt better because of the knowledge she wasn’t near him. 

So, after all that, wouldn’t Beverly? 

If her dad, who was probably even worse than Sonia. Eddie thought so at least and they talked about it more than anyone else. Which would mean, logically, that she’d be happier than Eddie after the fact. That made sense, didn’t it? Richie couldn’t think of a reason why it wouldn’t. Especially because she wouldn’t actually have to kill him, she wouldn’t have to make the call.

Later, while Eddie and Richie lay in their bed, Eddie rolled over and rested his head on Richie’s chest. “Not now, baby. You’ve gotta wait a little bit. Just in case.”

Alvin Marsh had a routine. Richie already knew his routine simply because he was used to sneaking Bev back home or Eddie out of the Marsh’s just before Alvin was due home. He also knew what bars he liked at different times and what route he takes to get home. So it was not hard to get to where he needed to be. Eddie was still at home, waiting like he was told to do and messaging all the Losers pretending to be the both of them. Such a simple way to provide an alibi. Having a family of murderers. 

Maggie and Went had been told what was happening but they wouldn’t get involved. It was complicated now. And Richie hated it yet he was the one who made it complicated. Eddie down there, covered in blood with that dopey little smile he got wasn’t something that Richie was willing to share. Not anymore. So, more often than not, he and Eddie would be alone whenever they did anything. 

It didn’t take long for Alvin to stumble out of the bar, drunk out of his mind and alone. He was such an easy target Richie was almost disappointed. Half the fun was hunting the sucker who he was taking down. A drunk bastard? It wasn’t all that exciting. But he would have his fun once Alvin was in the basement, chained to the wall and exposed for Richie to do whatever he wanted. 

Beverly was going to be so pleased after all of this. 

“Mr Marsh!” Richie called as he slowly drove past the man as if it was a coincidence. The man sneered at Richie, squinting to see who it was. “It’s Richie Tozier. Do you want a ride home?” 

“No.”

“There are cops up ahead,” Richie lied smoothly. “Saw them arresting Mr Hatchfeild.”

Alvin got in the car. And then promptly passed out. Riche didn’t even get the chance to drug the asshole. 

By the time he woke up, Richie had already chained one wrist to the cuffs screwed into the wall. He fought, screaming and shouting. Calling Richie all sorts of names and yelling as loudly as he could. Richie rolled his eyes as he easily secured the second wrist before shoving a gag into his mouth. Fuck, when was the last time he brushed his teeth? Maybe Richie would make him gargle some bleach. 

“Hey Mr Marsh.” The reply was garbled and Richie ignored it. The door to the basement opened a moment later, and without looking Richie knew that it was his husband walking down. His footsteps alone were enough to clue Richie in. Alvin continued making noises but they were hardly noticeable. Eddie came to stand beside Richie, phone pressed to his ear, smiling when Richie wrapped an arm around his waist. “Hey Eds.”

“I know Bev,” Eddie said into the phone, nodding at Richie. Alvin’s eyes were alight. “Oh, Richie’s trying to see if I can understand him with a cloth in his mouth.”

“Ouch,” Richie muttered to Alvin. 

“I gotta go Bev, Richie needs me for a second.” His eyes followed Richie as he moved towards their tools. “Tell Ben we said hi and that he owes me a -” he cut off with a laugh. “I know! Alright, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“How’s Beverly?” Richie asked when Eddie put the phone in his pocket. 

Eddie smiled at Alvin, “perfect. Stan’s taking her to Ben’s now. Crazy how she’s got all these people around her at this exact moment. Hey, Mr Marsh.” 

“Insane,” Richie agreed over Alvin’s muffled screams. 

“We had nothing to do with it.”

“Of course not. Now, Eds, are you going to behave or am I going to have to tie you up as well tonight?”

Eddie laughed, eyes flicking over to a collar that Richie had chained to the wall with a very short piece of chain. Perfect height to wrap it around Eddie’s neck if he decided to act up. It didn’t happen often but it had before. Tonight Richie was going to be more lenient, however, because of how much Eddie wanted to hurt this man. Why he wanted to hurt him, that was split almost evenly between what he did to Bev and for what Sonia did to him. 

“I’ll be good.”

“You always are,” Richie pressed a kiss to his forehead as he moved past. 

“I thought I was a brat,” Eddie muttered. Which was also true and what Eddie had been called about ten minutes before Richie had left to go and get Alvin. Anyway, Richie gave him a look and he laughed again. Brat. 

Alvin was still making all this noise, pulling on his cuffs and clanging the metal against the stone wall. “You know,” Richie said when he came to a stop in front of the man, knife in hand, “the first person that we had tied to this wall was your dearly departed wife,” Richie laughed as Alvin stilled. “Isn’t it crazy how the world works? We kill whats-her-name and then become best friends with her daughter before killing her dad. Ha! I’m the reason that Beverly is about to become an orphan.”

Sometimes the best way to hurt someone wasn’t with a knife. 

But he would do that as well. For Bev. For Eddie. For himself. Because he could. Because it was fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Perhaps I am adding an extra chapter. Perhaps this chapter was written today even though I've finished this fic already.


	21. Chapter 21

Legally, Richie and Eddie were on their own. In reality that meant nothing. Maggie still scolded them when they left dishes out, Went still got Richie to mow the lawn every second week. Both parents bitched when Richie traced blood upstairs. But yeah, legally they had no control over either boy. Which was actually kind of fun. It also meant that Richie had to get a job. 

His parents were still supporting them. Neither of them paid rent or for food in the house but Richie was no longer getting an allowance and Eddie’s had been cut in half. Which wasn’t enough to do anything on, so Richie had to get a job. Eddie had said that he could get a job as well, to support himself, but Richie had hated the idea. Maggie didn’t work, Went supported her. Richie would support Eddie. So that led Richie to getting a job at the Aladdin after school. 

“Enjoy the movie,” Richie said as the family left his counter. He turned to Eddie, who was sitting on a stool behind the counter, like he was most Saturdays. It was easy to smuggle him in, he worked the Saturday shift by himself. “Jackasses. This job is just putting more and more people on my kill list.”

“Lovely,” Eddie replied, not looking up from Richie’s phone. He and Bill had been non-stop texting about a date that Mike had taken him on. 

“You’re not listening to me.”

“I am. Bill’s just more interesting.”

Richie made a face. “Here I am, slaving away for you, and you can’t even give me the courtesy to love me. I’m second to fucking Bill.” 

“He and Mike had sex.”

“Oh that is interesting,” Richie replied as he filled the popcorn machine up. One good thing about living in a small town was that there was hardly ever anyone to serve. Which meant he got to spend most of his time messing around with Eddie or any other Loser that decided to turn up. “Took them long enough. I lost a lot of money over that.”

“I got it right.”

“Only because Bill asks you questions about gay sex.”

Eddie laughed, “we are the experts.”

“I think we’ve had more gay sex than anyone else in Derry.”

“Mr Kreene was probably wild in the seventies.”

Richie shrugged, turning back to his husband who was now fully looking up at Richie, phone turned off. “Yeah but, like, it was probably little boys. Oh shit, maybe dad’s a contender.” 

“Yeah, I guess,” Eddie nodded. “I still think we're winning.”

“Oh absolutely, no way in hell anyone is close to us. Good old Bill and Mike might catch up one day. But I guess we have a decade on them,” Richie shrugged again. It was a funny thought, that the two sixteen-year-olds had the most gay experience in their town. Went would be up there, but he had started to decline in recent years. Ever since Eddie turned ten, Richie had preferred it just to be the two of them. Eddie had always liked it when it was just them. By the time they were fourteen, it was rare for anything to happen with Went. Hell, he couldn’t even recall the last time the three of them had done anything. Occasionally Maggie would help Richie out, but he preferred Eddie anyway.

Eddie stood up, stretching and then holding his arms out like he was expecting a hug. And yeah, he was going to get one, but that was pretty entitled. He wasn’t leaving; Richie wouldn’t let him. Not when he had another three hours before he could leave. Being at work alone was so fucking boring, it was the worst. Richie was pretty sure that he just wanted a hug, and he was more than willing to indulge. It meant that they hugged a lot.

“Can I go next door and get us sushi?”

“Why do you insist on getting that, it’s so gross.”

“I’ll get you a burger?” 

“That’s better,” Richie nodded. Eddie reached his hand down into Richie’s back pocket; taking out his wallet. Then the little shit squeezed before stepping back. Richie rolled his eyes at him before kissing his forehead. “If you’re not back in ten minutes then I’m burning the entire town to find you.”

Laughing, Eddie nodded at him. “See you in ten minutes.”

“How was work?” Maggie asked when they walked inside. She was in the kitchen, frilly apron on and a frying pan on the stove. Went was nowhere to be seen. “Did anything exciting happen?”

“No,” Richie replied. Eddie went straight upstairs but Richie headed into the kitchen to steal some food before dinner. “Nothing ever happens. The only highlight was Eddie almost dropped a whole thing of popcorn.”

“I don’t see why you don’t let him get a job there. He’s always there anyway.”

Richie rolled his eyes, “because I don’t want him to make money. That’s my job. He gets it, I need you to get it as well. Not like dad makes you work.”

“When we were young, I had a job, Richie. Because we couldn’t get by on one salary.” 

“We can.”

“You can’t.”

“You need to let it go. I decided that he isn’t going to work and that’s final. He doesn’t get a say so you don’t either.” 

Maggie didn’t let it go. That pit of anger that wasn’t all that common settled in Richie’s stomach again. He hated it when people didn’t listen to him. “I understand where you’re coming from Richie, I do. And it’s nice that you want to look after him like that but you can’t forbid him from getting a job forever. You need to make more money, especially in the upcoming years before you go to college. And what if you die, and he’s left alone with no work experience or anything? It’s just not good.”

“We’re moving to California but I’m not going to school right away anyway. So it doesn’t matter. And if I die then Eddie knows that he has to kill himself straight away. We’ve talked about it.”

“Richie-”

“Shut the fuck up and stay out of mine and Eddie’s life. If you don’t like it then we’ll leave.”

“We don’t want that.”

Richie scoffed, “dad send you to have this conversation? You can tell him to fuck off as well, I don’t want to hear it. I’ll send Eddie down to get us dinner. Got it?” He didn’t wait for a response from her, storming up to their room. Eddie was lounging on their bed, still on the phone when he came up. But when he saw Richie, and probably the anger on his face, he put it down and opened his mouth. “Be quiet.”

Eddie did as he was told, moving to fit up against Richie when he lay down. Richie sighed into his husband’s hair, pulling him even closer. Eddie always knew what to do when Richie was like this. He reached up, stroking his fingers over Richie’s face gently before running them through his hair. It calmed him down, but it didn’t stop the thoughts running around in his head. Who did his parents think they were? To tell Richie how to look after Eddie? They had no right. 

“You trust me, right?”

“With my life,” Eddie nodded. “Always have.”

“And you understand why you don’t have a job, why I do the things I do?” Richie asked, but he already knew the answer, had thought about it a whole lot before. “Why I tell you what to do?”

Sometimes he thought that Eddie knew more than he should about that kind of thing. It was a scary idea, but one that brought a warmth to his stomach more than anything else. Richie liked to think that he had chosen their relationship for the both of them. Like Maggie and Went. But sometimes, when Richie really thought about it, he thought about it the other way around. Eddie choosing this life over everything else. Eddie choosing him. 

But maybe that wasn’t all true either. Because Maggie and Went had made sure that Eddie loved them, so was Eddie’s choice all his? Was it practically forced onto him? Hell, he didn't know that they were going to get married until the day. He hadn’t chosen to stay on Friday nights. The first time they kissed, had sex, fuck even the first time they held hands, was Richie’s doing. And it wasn’t like he could talk to others. No one had talked to him aside from the Toziers and Sonia. Sonia, who Eddie didn’t trust because of Maggie. 

But then Eddie had never spoken up and said he didn’t like something. He always said that he did like being with Richie, having Richie in charge of him. Had killed his own mother so that they could be together (maybe. Eddie had never said why he had decided to kill her that day). 

He had never said he didn’t like being submissive to Richie. Perhaps it was because of who he was. Prepares it was because of how he was raised. Perhaps it was a mixture of both. 

“Yeah, Richie, of course, I do,” Eddie smiled at him. “I’m sorry they’re questioning you.” 

“It’s so annoying. They act like I’m a child. Fuck, we’ve been independent for years now. It’s like they’ve forgotten that they raised me to take care of you! When we were, I don’t know, eight dad sat me down and explained that I had to work, that I had to provide! He said that the man works so that the wife could stay at home and take care of him. But now that I’m doing it they’re pissed at me.”

“They probably don’t like that you’re growing up,” Eddie shrugged. “I like that you take care of me.” 

Richie scowled his mind racing, “sure. But that doesn’t mean I’m not. They just need to get with the program and leave us alone,” a pause before he tacked on: “and I love taking care of you,” causing Eddie to laugh slightly and kiss Richie’s chin.

“What are you going to do?”

“Can’t get anything past you, can I?” 

“Perk of being married.”

Laughing, the tension lifting, Richie nodded. There were quite a few perks of being married, but Richie thought that was just them; would be that way even if they weren’t married. “I, oh fuck, I have no idea. Sometimes I want us to run away, but I do want to finish high school before we go. Even if we’re not going to college. I think it’s better.”

“Are you sure we can’t go to college?” 

“Yes. There’s no point,” Richie sighed. “Maybe we could - no.”

“Kill them?” Eddie guessed with a knowing glint in his eyes. Not a guess, probably, he knew too much about Richie to take guesses. “If you wanted to, Richie, I’d stand behind you. I know you know that. But I would prefer you didn’t. At least right now, if you have to.”

“You’d support me?”

Eddie nodded, “but I wouldn’t be happy about it.”

“I wouldn’t either,” Richie shook his head. “Just a thought.”

“Alright,” Eddie smiled, as if he knew just how much Richie was lying. 

As well as Saturday’s, Richie worked Tuesday and Thursday after school. Eddie usually came with him, doing his homework beside the candy counter and fucking around with Richie. But today he couldn’t, he had a project with Ben and Bev due, so Richie was left alone. Apparently his non-stop complaining had worked, because about half an hour into his five-hour shift, Stan turned up.

“I’m only staying if you give me sour patch kids.”

Richie threw them over the counter. “How’s life, Stanny?”

“We saw each other half an hour ago. Please don’t.”

“Yeah, and half an hour ago you were going to hang out with the lovely Bill and Mike, third-best Loser couple, behind the double Bs and of course my lovely husband and I. What happened?”

“They’re worse than you and Eddie. It’s disgusting.”

“Ah, they’re in their honeymoon stage. Eds and I have been married for too long to be that in love,” Richie laughed. A complete lie. “When you find love, you’ll understand.”

Rolling his eyes, Stan laughed lightly. He did that often, a signature Stan move. “Can I ask you something?”

“I’m sure you’re going to.”

“You and Eddie, how’d you know that he was it?” He fixed his gaze onto Richie, staring deep into his eyes like he was trying to convey something else. “It’s not normal for people to stay with their boyfriend from when they were five, but you two have. I mean, how do you know that you two will always be together?” 

Stan had always had a knack for seeing things that others couldn’t see. Even when they were young, he looked at Richie and Eddie like he knew more than the two of them put together. And sometimes, and this scared Richie truthfully, he looked at Maggie and Went like he knew. Knew everything, knew something, knew enough. But he had never said anything, had never acted alarmed or scared of them. Didn’t even seem to mind. Stan was an interesting one, that’s for sure. 

“We’re just lucky,” Richie settled on. “To find each other so early.”

“And if your parents hadn’t liked him?”

“I mean, we dealt with Sonia not liking me,” Richie replied. He hummed in reply. As he always did when Sonia was brought up. Richie couldn’t argue the idea that he knew more than he let on. “My parents don’t control me, anyway.”

“Legally.”

“Sure,” Richie nodded, “but also. Like, in every way. No one can deny that my family is a little bit backwards. You know? Eds and I were raised to be independent. I’m an adult now, so’s Eddie. They don’t tell us what to do.”

There was a moment of silence before Stan asked, “does it weird you out that you practically shared parents?” 

“Never even thought about it, to be honest. I liked Eddie before he came over so I never saw him as a brother. Ben thought we should have seen each other like that.”

“Why haven’t you two ditched town? No one can stop you.”

Richie laughed, “trying to get rid of us, Stanny?”

“Always.”

“We’re going to graduate first. Eddie wouldn’t like it if we left before he could walk. And I guess I don’t mind hanging around you guys for a bit longer.”

“But if you wanted to, Eddie would go?” Stan asked in that knowing tone. Richie nodded once anyway. Stan cocked his head, opening his mouth and then closed it. Paused and then asked: “did you two watch Brooklyn Nine-Nine last night?” 

Eddie still went to Church on Sundays. It was the one thing that Richie couldn’t get him to give up. Sure, he could probably force Eddie to stay home but that would make Eddie sad and lead to even more problems. So, every single Sunday, Eddie went to Church, getting a lift from one of their neighbours who also went. He’d come home lighter and always say that he had enjoyed it (and often that he wished the Toziers would come just once). It wasn’t all bad, it meant that Richie got a few hours with his parents each week which was nice. 

Most of the time. 

Sometimes Richie just wanted them to shut up. Like right now. 

“-and I think it would be nice for Eddie to experience college,” Maggie continued in that soft I’m-right-and-you-know-it tone she had sometimes. Went nodding along beside her, watching Richie. As if Richie was actually listening and taking any of it in. This conversation had been happening more and more now that they only had one year of school. All the Losers were getting the College Talk now. But Richie was really getting it; ever since he declared that he and Eddie wouldn’t be attending. 

“I’m sure he would like it,” Went agreed. “He’s always enjoyed school and learning, he’d thrive in a high academic setting.” Richie rolled his eyes, as if he didn’t know what Eddie did and didn’t like. He knew everything about Eddie. His parents knew a lot, granted, but nowhere near as much as Richie. Especially now, as they got older they shared less and less. Like every other teenager on the planet. 

“We loved it,” Maggie nodded. 

“Yeah, because you’re really putting your education to use,” Richie scoffed. “Eddie isn’t going to work. He isn’t going to school. I want to go into entertainment.”

“And if that fails?” Went asked. 

Richie stood up, shrugging, “I’ll kill Eddie and myself. Easy.”

“Baby, please can we talk more about this? I get so worried about you two!” Maggie begged. 

“Don’t.”

“Richie-”

“Mom. Leave it.”

Maggie stood up as well, blocking Richie’s way out of the living room. Behind him, he was very aware of Went standing up as well. The way Richie was treated was different now, he could see it. Had seen it since he broke Eddie’s arm. And how, only a few weeks later, the man in the basement had been practically turned inside out just because Richie wanted to see what it was like. His parents looked at him differently. Which was funny, seeing as they had raised him to be that way. But what did Went think Richie was about to do? Gut his own mom?

“Please, Richie. I’m scared for you two!”

“Mom, we’re fine.”

“Eddie is always covered in bruises! He’s hurting.”

Richie scoffed, “yeah. Because I like to hurt when we have sex. That’s not a fucking crime, Christ. You literally kill people.” 

“Not the people I love!”

“You’ve hurt them.”

“No, I never did.”

“You used to tie me up and stick me under your bed for a night if I pissed you off. And all those times that you and dad made me lie under your feet for hours? How is any of that worse than what I do to Eddie? Who, by the way, loves what I do.”

Maggie winced at every word that came out of Richie’s mouth. The fucking hypocrite. From behind them, Went spoke up, “it’s not that you hurt him sometimes. It’s how much. And how you don’t seem to let him make any decision, ever, anymore.”

“I never did. Eddie and I are fine. We are not your problem anymore.” They just needed to shut up.

“Richie-” Maggie was cut off by Richie’s hand. It felt really fucking good to smack his mother in the mouth. Like, really good. 

“What the hell!” Went demanded, stepping around Richie to stand next to his wife. Richie was unsure whether or not he was going to take a swing at him. But he did know that if he did, then Richie would swing back. “You can’t hit your mother!”

Richie cocked his head to one side, “why not? I’m the man of the house, right?”

“You are not,” Went snapped back, his hand clenching into a fist. Before he could even raise his arm Richie had a knife against his father’s throat. Maggie gasped, her hands flying to her bleeding mouth as she watched her son grin down at his father. Richie laughed, pressing the knife into Went’s neck. “Step back, Richie. Now.”

“No.”

“Richie?” That was a voice that Richie could tell anywhere. Eddie had just walked in, eyes wide as he took in the scene in front of him. Richie took a step back, keeping his knife out and not turning his back to Went, but stepping closer to Eddie. “What are you doing?”

He looked to his parents before back down at his husband. Richie took Eddie’s hand and as they walked upstairs he answered with, “nothing, baby. They just need to leave us the fuck alone.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think!


	22. Chapter 22

“I just don’t get it, why are we supposed to sympathise with the murderer?” Mike said. “I don’t. He killed people!” 

“Because their vibe is impeccable,” Richie replied, kicking at Eddie under the table. If anyone saw they wouldn’t think anything of it. Just the two of them being stupid like always, nothing more. 

“They do have a lot of style,” Eddie agreed. 

Mike groaned, “I hate you two. Do you have your own opinions? Or do you just have to agree on everything always?”

“I always thought married people were supposed to hate each other,” Bev piped up.

“That’s straight marriages,” Richie answered with a shrug. “Gay marriage is different. I guess we’re just better. And, to answer Mike’s question, I bet Eddie’s opinions out of him when we were seven. So, yes, we agree on everything always because we’re great.” All the Losers laughed only a fraction of a second after Eddie started. Sometimes, Richie had noticed, when he made a joke like that (at least a joke in his friends' eyes) they’d wait to see how Eddie reacted before they did anything. Stan especially. 

Their waiter arrived, bringing over seven milkshakes and four servings of fries. Six chocolates and one strawberry, Eddie’s. All the Losers could agree that chocolate was superior but Eddie. Every single Friday, when they came to Lou’s after school, he’d get his bright pink drink and then also take about half of Richie’s. But that was okay because kissing Eddie after milkshake was awesome. 

“So,” Bev said, “Richie. How was your meeting with Mr Fuckface?”

“Oh fuck him,” Richie replied. “I didn’t even speak up!”

“You did,” Eddie interrupted. 

“But not a lot.” 

“Hard t-to believe.”

“Wish he would just disappear,” he muttered, kicking Eddie under the table. Winking at him across it. Again, the Losers would just think he was being weird. But Eddie would know, would remember how Richie’s 9th birthday party had been above their teacher tied up in the basement. Bound, gagged and only hours away from his death at Richie’s hand. Eddie rolled his eyes, letting Richie know that Eddie got it - and he didn’t think the reminder was very funny. “He basically just told me to shut up and if I kept talking to Eddie he’d split us up. It was all very standard.” 

Stan shook his head, “I still don’t understand how you got Eddie in, what, 90% of your classes.”

“Pure talent.”

“You’re so dumb,” Bill replied, throwing a fry across the table. Richie caught it, popping it into his mouth with an over-dramatic wink. All of the Losers rolled their eyes at that, hiding their laughter behind their milkshakes and Richie laughing along anyway. He loved his friends, really did. They were the best. For years they’d been the outcasts of the school, hell, the outcasts of the town. But they’d had each other’s backs and had never once been tempted to try for something higher up on the food chain. This year though, was interesting, because suddenly the Losers weren’t as hated. 

Maybe it was because Bill was one of the best in the baseball team and because Eddie and Ben were stars of the track. And because Beverly had won a few girls over with her some-what alternative style, and Mike had won over everyone because of how warm he was (even if he didn't go to school with them). Stan was starting to get hot, even if he denied it, and all the girls liked how kind and clean he was. And Richie’s antics were making people laugh, but not at him. So maybe the Derry students had started to like them for them.

Or maybe Derry just caught up with the times and realized that being racist homophobic assholes who only cared about conformity wasn’t the best thing ever. It was probably the first one. Lots of them were still pretty homophobic. 

“How’d you guys go on the maths test?” Mike asked an almost smug aura around him, earning him a flick on the head by Bill. Everyone aside from Eddie groaned at the reminder.

“Wouldn’t know,” Eddie said - same smug aura - “we went over last week's course work in my class. No tests.”

Both Bev and Richie flicked him, causing him to whine and pout at the both of them. “It was the worst,” Ben admitted, ignoring them, “I didn’t even finish it. Took me the whole hour to get about two-fifths of the way through.”

“I got to the end, but shit it was close,” Richie replied. Rubbing Eddie’s head like a good husband. 

“Fuck, I almost g-gave up about ten minutes in.” 

Stan nodded, “the first question looked like French or some shit.”

“French would have been easier,” Bev muttered. 

“I love being in low-level,” Eddie sang out, earning him another two flicks. Somehow, in their final year, five out of six Losers at school had made it into top-level maths. Eddie, when asked if he wanted to be low or mainstream had chosen the former. Which meant, while Richie was doing college-level homework, Eddie was chilling with a page of simple stuff. Hardly fair but it had been Richie that suggested his husband flunk his exam last year so that he would be allowed in low-level.

Mike laughed at them, that smug aura going away. Not surprising, Mike was way too nice to be smug for any length of time. Richie really loves his friends. He must have done something to get them (and Eddie). They were all amazing and he was glad that he wasn’t ever extremely jealous of them with Eddie. He’d hate to have to kill them because they decided to get too close to his husband. He took a sip of Eddie’s strawberry milkshake as Eddie finished off Richie’s chocolate. 

“What are you guys doing tonight?” Richie asked, “oh. Mike and Bill have their special date!” 

“Special date?” Beverly asked with a laugh.

“Sounds fun,” Ben continued. Sometimes Richie couldn’t tell if the boy was being sarcastic or genuinely nice. 

Bill glared at Eddie who smiled innocently. “You know that Richie can read our messages.”

“Get your own phone,” Bill muttered. “Or I’m not going to text you anymore.” 

“He listens in on our phone calls as well.”

“Oh, for f-fucks sake!” 

They all laughed, continuing to make fun of Eddie for his lack of phone - or really the fact that he and Richie shared a phone. Previously they’d used the excuse that Sonia hadn’t wanted one, but it was harder to say that Eddie himself didn’t want one. No Loser would believe them if they said the Tozier’s said no. The truth, of course, was that Richie couldn’t be bothered monitoring Eddie’s phone. So he didn’t get one. 

“You guys are all so funny!” Eddie faked a laugh. “Really. I’m surrounded by comedians.” 

“You married one,” Richie replied. 

“Not a funny one.”

“Get fucked, Tozier!” Beverly laughed. 

Richie made a face, “we’re both Tozier.”

“Get fucked, Toziers!” 

Yeah, Richie really loved his friends. 

Stan Uris was Richie’s best friend. Ever since they were five and sat next to each other in school. For a few hours, Stan was Richie’s only friend before he also met Eddie and Bill that day at lunch. And while Richie loved his friends and was in love with Eddie, he and Stan had something a little special. They clicked. And if Eddie was out then Richie tried to get Stan to do something dumb with him. 

“I’m just saying,” Richie moved his hands widely as he lay upside down on his bed. “That I think we’d make great ghost hunters.”

“You’re insane,” Stan replied from his position at the desk, where he was sitting like a normal person. 

“Nah, we’d be great at it. Hunting ghosts in the sewers of Derry.”

“Why the sewers?”

“Because Eddie would hate it.”

He threw a pencil at Richie, “I thought you were supposed to love him?” 

“I do. But it’s funny.”

“You’re so mean to him.”

“No, I’m not. He likes it anyway.”

Stan nodded mockingly, “that’s why he’s always screeching at you.”

“That’s just because he’s a nagging wife,” Richie replied. “More like a nagging sugar baby if you ask me. Maybe I should cut him off, money-wise. Not sex-wise, of course.”

“I hate you, you’re disgusting. But wasn’t it you that said Eddie couldn’t get a job? If you cut him off then he’d have to start working.” 

Richie nodded. He had been the one to force Eddie into not having a job in private and made plenty of jokes about Eddie being a sugar baby and not being allowed a job in front of their friends. It wasn’t exactly fair to then complain. But it was funny. “True. Maybe I should just make him sex me up more. Because I’ll tell ya, Stanley, he is the biggest pillow princess I know. It’s always up to me!”

“Shut the fuck up.”

“You better be talking about me,” Eddie said as he walked in, Bill right behind him. “Don’t talk about me like that because it’s not true.”

“It’s absolutely true. Last night you literally just lay there!”

“Oh, you mean after about a fucking hour of me -”

“I swear to g-god I’m about to leave,” Bill threatened. “I can’t deal with this.”

Stan nodded as Eddie and Bill sat down, Bill on the chair like a normal person and Eddie upside beside Richie like a good husband. Richie, as best he could, turned to give him a kiss which ended up with the both of them almost falling off. They just laughed, righting themselves as their friends ignored them. “How was your outing, baby? Did Bill treat you right? Do I have to beat him up? Protect your honour?” 

“Bill treats me better than you do. He should beat you up.”

“That’s true,” Bill said, laughing when Richie glared at him. Stan chuckled along with Eddie, none of them threatened by Richie. “But s-something funny did happen, which Eddie asked me nuh-not to tell but I think I should.”

“Shut the fuck up.”

Richie sat up, leaning against the wall. Eddie followed, glaring at Bill. “No,” Richie shook his head, “I wanna hear this.” 

“I’ll tell,” Eddie said before Bill could. “You’ll say it wrong. We were walking out of the supermarket, to get your Oreos because I’m a good husband, and that girl from your chemistry class came up to us. She asked us what we were doing and I said ‘getting Oreos’ and she looked at me - Me! And said, oh, Richie loves those. Like, yeah, I know? That’s why I’m getting them. So I say as much because what else do I say -”

“He s-snapped at her.”

“Maybe. Probably. Anyway, she turned and asked Bill if you had finished the weekend homework! Why would you ask Bill? I’m your fucking husband, I live with you. And of course, I knew because you complained the entire way through so I couldn’t focus on my English. So I answered and was like, yes he has. Why do you need to know if Richie has done his homework? And she had the audacity to ask for your number!” 

“I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

“You’re making this way worse and I am going to get angry at you.”

Richie made a noise of confusion. “Why? I didn’t do anything?”

“Apparently you have,” Bill answered. 

“She’s into you,” Stan said. “Her name is Brit. Constantly asks after you in my English class.”

Eddie pouted, “I hate her. Anyway, I said that I didn’t give my husband's number out for no reason and she said that you were friends. Which is such bullshit because I know all your friends because they’re also mine. She got so fucking defensive. And then said I was controlling over you!” 

“Ha. You’re not controlling.” 

“No, I know,” Eddie replied. “You are. Anyway, I said that if he wanted to give you his number then he would so she’ll probably ask in class.”

“And I won’t give it to her,” Richie guessed, wrapping his arm around Eddie’s shoulders and pulling him closer. God, he was cute when he was worked up. Which didn’t happen often. 

“I’d leave you. She’s so fucking dumb! We’re married for fuck's sake.” 

“He was so rude to her,” Bill said. 

Stan laughed, shaking his head at them. “You’re ridiculous when you’re jealous.” 

“You should see Richie,” Eddie laughed leaning into his side more. 

“I’d rather not,” Stan replied. A startling truth behind his eyes. 

Richie didn’t think he had ever seen Eddie’s eyes so bright. He and Mike laughed as Eddie cooed at the lamb in his arms. All the other Losers had come out to the farm the night before, but Richie had coughed one too many times for Eddie to be comfortable with them going out. Because while he had gotten rid of the majority of issues his mother had left with him, becoming sick was not something he was going to risk. A cough leads to a cold, which leads to pneumonia which leads to death. Which was proving Sonia right. So they stayed home. That was fine, because Eddie liked to nurse Richie whenever he was worried.

Mike handed Eddie the bottle and walked him through bottle feeding the newborn lambs in his arms. Richie watching from the side lines. Not that he didn’t want to cuddle one of the lambs, it was more that Eddie was just really fucking cute and he liked watching his husband. A lamb nuzzled into Eddie’s neck and the cooing noise Eddie made went straight to Richie’s dick. Damn it. 

“This is making me want to live on a farm.”

“Really?” Richie laughed, “I can’t imagine you covered in dirt.”

“That’d be your job. I’m inside the cottage making a batch of cookies and cuddling baby lambs. You can do everything else.”

Richie rolled his eyes, “this is why you don’t spoil your boyfriend,” he said to Mike who laughed and nodded seriously. “They turn into little brats. When Bill asks you for something, say no.”

“I’m going to sic my lambs on you,” Eddie called before turning his attention back to the lambs surrounding him. “Cuties!” 

“I think it’s Bill who spoils me. He always brings me things.”

“Do Eds and I have competition then?” 

Mike laughed again, “Bev and Ben are up there.” 

“Poor Stan. He could join you guys. Keep it in the family, you know?”

“Disgusting.” 

“That’s going to be my tag line when I’m famous. Disgusting. Don’t worry, I’ll give you royalties on it. So then you can afford a nicer car.” A lamb hit his head against Richie’s leg, Mike swooping down to pick it up. Once he was cradling it, Richie patted it’s head. 

“I like my car.”

Richie shook his head, “Eddie has a better car. And he doesn’t have one.”

“Why doesn’t he?” 

“Didn’t see the point in both of us getting one. We’re either together or with another Loser who has a car. You alright, baby?”

Eddie looked up from where he was being attacked by two lambs with a third one on the way, a large smile still on his face. “Yeah. This is awesome. I can’t imagine how Sonia would react if she saw me like this! Covered in hay and holding a germ ridden lamb,” he switched his tone as if he was talking to a baby. “You’re a germ ridden little lamb, aren’t you? Yes you are! The cutest germ ridden lamb ever!”

“Sometimes I worry that his mother messed him up too much,” Richie fake whispered causing Eddie to flip him off. Mike, ever the sweetheart, defended Eddie before he broke down into laughter alongside Richie. “When will they be adult sheep?” 

“About a year. There isn’t a super distinct line but we celebrate their first birthday as their rite of passage.” 

“Don’t tell Eds that, you’ll end up with him planning a huge party for them.”

“Why am I having a party?” 

“For the lambs,” Mike answered. 

Eddie’s answering gasp was just so fucking cute. His eyes wide and shining. How was Richie not supposed to love him? “This is making me want a baby.”

“You’re missing the right bits for that one, love.”

“I want a baby. Oh, we’d be such good dads.”

Richie nodded, “the fucking best. Mike and Bill would have nothing on us.”

“Rude,” Mike muttered. “Do you actually want a baby, Eddie? Like, now?”

“One day, yeah. Richie wants me to be a house husband so I may as well have the kids to go along with it.”

“It’s kids now, huh?” Richie asked, but he didn’t miss the tightening of Mike’s eyes when Eddie spoke. “You’ll be the best stay at home mom ever.”

Eddie nodded, “I will, but I need the baby first. And no sex jokes! Not in front of the lambs.”

“One day, baby, promise. We’ll take some random kid who looks cute and then make Mike the godfather.”

“I’m pretty sure Stan wants the position,” Mike replied but his laugh was a bit too forced. His posture to tense. “But he’ll want the baby to be acquired legally. I’d assume, anyway.”

Richie laughed, “when do Eds and I do anything legally?” 

“I have never broken a law in my life.”

“Somehow,” Mike said, “I don’t believe you. I don’t think you can be with Richie and not break a law.” 

Eddie nodded, “that’s true. He’s a troublemaker. At least he’s cute.”

“That, my love,” Richie reached over to pinch Eddie’s cheeks, “is your job.”


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a fucked up chapter. TW for incest as well as kinda dubcon because its Eddie. A dead, mutated body is mentioned as well as torture and blood. Also abuse, mental and physical. It gets worse in the next few chapters, just a heads up.

Ever since Richie had held a knife to his father his parents had pretty much left them alone.

They were still involved with each other. Maggie and Eddie more so than anyone else. They all spent time with each other, laughed with each other, occasionally played with each other. It was fine. 

Like, on Wednesday evening. Richie and Eddie were sitting in the living room doing homework while Maggie cooked in the kitchen. Went had just arrived home, having a shower before coming downstairs to be with them. It was peaceful enough, a pretty standard evening all in all. Richie would even call it domestic, maybe excluding the person chained up downstairs that he and Eddie were going to go and play with after dinner. Occasionally he yelled loud enough for them to hear, causing Eddie to smile over at Richie. That’s what he got for flirting with Richie.

Eddie passed Richie his sheet of maths homework, cutting his thoughts short. Richie didn’t take it. “I’m not doing your homework, babe.”

“Oh come on! I hate algebra.”

“Do it or drop out.”

“You suck.”

“You’re cute.”

Eddie rolled his eyes, muttering to himself; “cute, cute, cute.”

“You’ve got it!”

“You’re so annoying.”

“You love me.”

Eddie looked up at him, “I do and you love me so~”

“I’m not doing your maths.”

“Are you struggling, Eddie?”

“I guess,” Eddie said, turning his attention to Went. “I mean, it’s alright I just don’t like it.”

“And Richie isn’t helping?”

“Fuck off.”

“No, he isn’t.”

Went laughed lightly as Richie kicked at his husband who, as he often was, was sitting on the floor in front of Richie. He didn’t know why Eddie liked sitting like that so much but he wasn’t complaining about it at all. Went held his hand out, Eddie jumping up and going over to him. Richie watching with mild irritation as Eddie sat down in Went’s lap. “I’ll help you out, Eddie.”

“Thanks.”

“But-” Went continued, Richie rolling his eyes while Eddie played dumb. “What do I get in return?”

“What do you want?”

“I’m sure Richie’s taught you what to do,” Went replied - knowing full well what Richie had taught him because he had been the one to teach Richie. And while the idea of Eddie giving their dad a blow job wasn’t amazing (not like when they were kids, when it was all fun and watching Eddie was almost as cool as being the receiver) it was just their dad. Richie could share with him.

Eddie, ever the good little husband, looked over at Richie. And yeah, Richie could admit that the question made the whole thing better. “If you want to whore yourself so you don’t have to do maths homework, go ahead.”

“Great, thanks.”

“Mom!” Richie called out as Eddie slid to his knees, winking at Richie. Slut.

“Busy.”

Richie rolled his eyes, “come here!”

“I’m busy.”

“Fuck off and get here,” Richie snapped. Went gave him an annoyed look but was then promptly distracted. God, was Eddie always that noisy? Probably, it wasn’t like Richie was focusing on that very much when they were alone. It worked, though, Maggie coming through the door a moment later with her apron still on and hair pinned up like a 50’s housewife or something. Maybe Richie should get Eddie a pink, frilly apron when they move out. He did look really cute in pink. 

“What do you want, Richie?” She asked her gaze on Eddie and Went. 

“What do you think?”

Maggie sighed and disappeared back into the kitchen. Richie watched Eddie work. He had taught him well. Maybe it’d be worth it to let Eddie blow Bill, just so he could see how well Eddie had been trained. How good he was - and how Bill would never be allowed to touch him again. He’d have to kill Bill if he did. Richie couldn’t live knowing that Bill was out there with the knowledge of how Eddie felt. 

“Don’t take too long,” Maggie warned as she walked back in, dropping to her knees. “I’ve got food on the stove.”

Still looking at Eddie, Richie nodded. “Don’t worry. I won’t take long.” 

Richie was in his room, music blasting when Eddie came in. He’d gone out with Beverly and Ben to get milkshakes, telling Richie to stay home. It hadn’t gone over that well - Richie not liking the idea of Eddie being out with more than one of his friends. But Eddie had begged and promised that he’d be good and wouldn’t do anything he knew Richie wouldn’t like so Richie had allowed it. 

He sat up when Eddie turned the stereo off. Eddie came over, settling on his knees in between Riche’s legs and looked up with a guilty face. He reached for Richie’s hand, placing it on his cheek and resting his head on it. “What’s wrong?”

“They -” he paused “ -tricked me.”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t be mad?” Eddie pleaded and Richie nodded once. “I went with Bev and Ben, but everyone was there.”

“Aside from me?”

Eddie nodded. “They wanted to talk to me.”

“Without me there,” Richie guessed and Eddie nodded again. “What about?”

“I can’t-”

“Don’t say that you can’t tell me, Eddie. That’ll just piss me off.”

“It wasn’t bad but I can’t tell you. You said you wouldn’t be mad.”

Richie scoffed, “that they had tricked you. I can be mad that you’re not telling me something, which is against the rules and you know it.” 

“It wasn't bad,” Eddie repeated. 

“Clearly.”

“I don’t want you to be mad at them, that’s all.”

“But you don’t mind me being mad at you?”

Eddie shook his head, “I hate it.”

“So just tell me.”

“I can’t.”

“Lying to me, Eds, means you get punished. And considering it’s clearly something I should know, it’s even worse. You know this!” Richie said. Tears dripped out of Eddie’s eyes as he nodded while Richie spoke. He knew. So why in the fuck was he doing it? Something was wrong. He wouldn’t do this otherwise. No way would he ever choose their friends over Richie unless - “I’d kill them if I knew. Wouldn’t I?” He didn’t need to ask. 

He got a shrug in reply. “Maybe. Or you just-” he cut himself off.

“Eds finish that sentence or this is going to be really bad.”

“Wouldn’t let me see them anymore.”

“So it’s really fucking bad,” Richie muttered. Eddie’s eyes were screwed close, tears still falling. He definitely looked bad. It somewhat settled the anger building up in Richie’s chest but not enough. “Eddie, baby, I don’t want to punish you. And I won’t if you just tell me what’s happening.”

“That’s a lie,” Eddie hiccuped.

“Probably.” 

Eddie sobbed again. Eyes opening so that he could stare up at Richie, “please don’t stop them being our friends they were just worried.”

“Tell me, baby.”

“They’re worried.”

“Is that all I’m getting?” Richie asked, a pretty good guess at why they were worried already in his mind. Eddie nodded at the question, staying silent. His husband could be stubborn when he wanted to be - even if Richie had tried his best to get that quality out of him. But it only got worse when it was about their friends. Richie ran his finger under Eddie’s eye, collecting some of the tears. 

“I am sorry, Rich. I didn’t want it to happen. And I fixed it, promise.”

“Oh?”

Eddie nodded. “I did.”

“Good boy.” Richie sighed. “I’ve still gotta - you know.”

“I know,” Eddie said softly. There was a silence in the room. Eddie clearly waiting to be told what to do. Like the good husband that he could be. Richie watched him, thinking it over. He was pissed. So fucking pissed. Not just at Eddie for lying, or withholding information, but at their friends as well. It was a shitty situation overall. What was he to do? “Richie?” Eddie asked quietly and Richie nodded. “If you want to - to punish me for them then that’s alright. I don’t mind.”

“You really don’t want me to stop them from being our friends.”

“I really don’t.”

“Go downstairs. Right downstairs.”

Eddie’s eyes went wide. “What?”

“You know what the basement is, don’t you? It’s for punishing people I don’t like. Not that I don’t like you, of course. But I’m pretty fucking pissed.”

“But. That guy is still down there.”

“And?”

“Richie,” Eddie sobbed, “I can’t do that.”

Richie shrugged. “I can spank you up here if you want but that’s not punishing our friends, is it? So, I mean, it’s up to you.”

“Please-”

“For someone who’s spent his entire life being a god-damn killer, you’re fucking bad with dead bodies.” It wasn’t a lie - Eddie always left the clean up to the other three. Going green at the thought of being near a dead body. Even if he was covered in that person’s blood and had just been the one to kill them. Eddie was still Eddie. “If we go downstairs I’ll completely forgive our friends, if not then we can’t be their friends anymore. Up to you, baby.”

“Richie!” 

“What are we doing?” 

Slowly, with shaking legs, Eddie stood up. He kept his hand firmly on top of Richie’s though, keeping that contact as he stood. Cute. Staring directly into Richie’s eyes he asked, “you promise you’ll forgive them and we can keep being friends?”

“Promise,” Richie nodded. And he meant it - and Eddie knew that.

“I’ll go downstairs.”

“You’re pretty brave,” Richie said as he stood up, looking down at his husband who was sobbing again. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” 

They walked downstairs holding hands, Richie rubbing circles into Eddie’s palm. He did feel bad, not for what he was doing but that it had to happen at all. And Eddie was clearly in hysterics over it, sobbing and hiccupping as he followed Richie downstairs. Maggie stopped them as they got to the living room, about to turn to the basement door. She stared at them, a frown on her face. Taking them both in.

“I was just about to ask if Eddie wants to help with dinner.”

“We’re busy.”

“What are you doing?”

“Mom.”

She held her hands up, “I’m just worried. All out of love, Richie. Eddie looks like he’s about to be sick.”

“He’s lying to me.”

“Why?”

“Because he doesn’t want me to be mad.”

Maggie clicked her tongue, “that doesn’t make any sense, Eddie.”

“I know.”

Richie sighed, “we’re going downstairs so that I can punish him on behalf of our friends.”

“What?”

“Eddie’s idea.”

“To go downstairs?”

“No,” Richie conceded. “To be punished on behalf of his friends.”

“Well, that makes sense.” 

Richie nodded, “so if you'll excuse us.”

“Be up in time for dinner,” she said before kissing both their foreheads and disappearing. 

They continued on down, Eddie sobbing harder when Richie finally got the door opened and flicked the light on. Their basement wasn’t huge, but it was big enough. On one wall there were cuffs attached just above head height. There was a table on the other side, handcuffs attached to all four corners. In the corner behind the stairs sat a fireplace that got hot enough to burn up small amounts of, well, whatever they needed burning at a time. But it didn’t go all at once, which is why their latest victim was lying on the table, no longer cuffed and missing both legs. 

“Heya, Greg I think,” Richie greeted as Eddie gagged. “If you vomit you're cleaning it up with your mouth. I hate that sound.”

Eddie stopped gagging. 

“Strip. Put your clothes on the stairs.” As Eddie did as he was told, Richie walked to the bookcase pushed opposite the staircase. There were lots of fun toys stashed in the boxes he and Eddie had painted years ago. But he already knew what he wanted today. Nothing that would permanently fuck with Eddie, Richie didn’t want his husband to be covered in scars thank you. No, this would hurt and make him go that cute shade of pink and then go away.

“Against the wall.” 

“Richie. It has blood on it.”

“Face first, against the wall.” Richie smiled at him, waving the whip he had fished out of the blue and purple polka dot box. Eddie hadn’t looked this pale since Richie broke his arm all those years ago. Richie grabbed his wrist as he walked past, completely naked and shaking all over. He kissed his hairline and smiled down at him. “I’m proud of you for choosing this.”

Eddie stared at him, still crying. “Please let me wipe the wall down.”

“No.”

“Richie,” he sobbed.

“God, Eds, I love it when you say my name like that.”

“Are you mad at me?”

Richie kissed him again before letting go and pushing him towards the wall. “Never, Eddie baby.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. And hey, after this we can go upstairs and have some of that pie you and Mags made last night.”

“Alright,” Eddie muttered as he pressed up against the wall. Sobbing harder when his chest touched the dried blood. Richie made quick work of securing his wrists, they’d made them leather for a reason. Richie’d hate to have Eddie being tied down by the metal that they had on the table. 

He ran his fingers down Eddie’s back before he stepped back, causing Eddie to shiver lightly. “Such a good boy for me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few people commented on their friends and I was just like 'yeahhhh I know'. Anyway, two more chapters to go! What do you guys think will happen?


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TWs: Murder, a lot of blood, sex that can be considered dub-con (non-graphic but slightly detailed), mentions of CSA (Richie thinking back on it)

There wasn’t a single person alive or dead that Richie cared about more than Eddie. He had made that pretty obvious over the last decade of his life. His husband was his everything. If someone couldn’t see that then they were blind. Richie only cared for Eddie. And that was just how it went. He’d burn down the entire world, kill everyone and anyone, if it made Eddie smile. Or if it made Eddie more reliant. 

It was selfish, yes, Richie knew that already. The fact that he placed himself so highly in the world, Eddie right behind him. That he would kill anyone if it furthered his needs. That he’d manipulate those around him into being what he wanted. His teachers, peers, friends, family, Eddie. Because he had, hadn’t he? Taken and moulded Eddie into what he wanted, not what Eddie wanted. He made sure that Eddie was happy the majority of the time but had he not changed what made Eddie happy in the first place? 

Would Eddie fall to his knees with one look if Richie hadn’t taught him to when he was six years old? Would Eddie smile and kiss Richie after making their dinner because, at seventeen, he was a barefoot housewife? Would Eddie nod and say ‘of course, Rich, anything you want’ whenever Richie spoke? Would Eddie love Richie if he hadn’t been made to a decade ago?

Maybe. Probably not. 

And would Richie want a husband who never argued, who did what he was told, who was the perfect little housewife he had been raised in a normal family? He couldn’t say that he wouldn’t want Eddie. Any universe, any context, it was going to be Eddie. But would he want the Eddie he created if his mother hadn’t been dropping to her knees for himself and his father whenever they clicked their fingers? If he had been raised by a mother who could speak up to her husband, who didn’t let her child kill and hurt people and who didn’t then take that child to bed? Would Richie be normal then? 

Maybe. Probably not. 

These thoughts kept Richie up sometimes. Not always. Most nights he was happy to go to sleep with Eddie curled up in his arms, dishevelled after they fucked. Richie’d just fall asleep and be done with the day. No need for dread and all that. But sometimes he’d look down at Eddie, who had been his since day one, and think about their lives if they hadn’t been Toziers. 

Because Richie knew it wasn’t right now. He hadn’t, for a long time. He knew, of course, that other families didn’t act like them. There were no weekend trips to murder people and there were no bedtime activities that Richie couldn’t quite get but still liked. He’d always felt bad that people didn’t get to have his life. Their mommies didn’t make them feel good if they got a good test result. Their daddies didn’t take them into the city to take a lady they thought would look nice red. Richie got that. And then Eddie got that. If Richie had it his way, everyone would. 

But then he had grown up and came to appreciate that he was the only one, save Eddie. It was theirs. The Toziers and the Toziers alone. At least in Derry. No one else got to stand over a dead body, getting their dick sucked by their husband, both of them covered in blood and both of them fourteen. That was Richie’s to savour all by himself. Yeah, sometimes he wished he could bring Stan or another Loser with them, but by the end of the night, Richie was glad it was just him and his Eddie. 

So now, seventeen and a half, Richie was really fucking grateful that he was a Tozier. 

“I can hear you thinking. It’s keeping me awake.”

Richie laughed, kissing Eddie’s hairline. “I’m sorry, your highness. I’ll shut up.”

“Thanks,” Eddie muttered. “What’s on your mind, Rich? I can help.”

“Thinking about how I love you.”

“Love you too.”

“Not as much as I love you.”

Eddie shook his head, “it’s not a competition.”

“It is, and I’m winning,” Richie replied. Eddie laughed softly before dozing back off, Richie following behind. A smile on his face. 

Here’s the thing. There was no thing. No real build-up, save Richie’s entire life. No defining feature that pinpointed when it started. Nothing like that. Richie just did it. Did it for, at the end of the day, nothing. 

They were all sitting in the dining room, eating together. This wasn’t the most common thing anymore. Richie worked four nights a week and the other three he and Eddie were often out with the Losers. But tonight was the Friday after Went’s 51st so Richie had taken the night off, Eddie and Maggie had made dinner and they were sitting together. It was nice to be a family for dinner after almost a fortnight of not. 

“I think we should remodel the house and paint it bright blue just so that neighbours hate us.”

“That’s an awful idea, Richie,” Maggie laughed. “Absolutely awful!”

“Yes. But it’s also amazing.”

Eddie started talking about a house that he had seen on TV that he had fallen in love with, telling Maggie who he wanted Richie to get it for him. Richie listened to him, a small smile on his face. It hit Richie that they were really growing up then. They only had a semester and a half left of their senior year. Then they’d be off to California, hopefully with the Losers nearby, and finally alone. Sure, they had way more freedom than other kids, but it wasn’t the same as being alone. 

Dinner passed quickly, Richie unusually silent. Lost in his own thoughts. Eddie sent him a few confused glances throughout but was pacified with a smile. Went and Richie made their way to the living room as Maggie and Eddie took the dishes into the kitchen. “It’s odd seeing you so grown up,” Went said as he passed Richie a glass of scotch. It wasn’t Richie’s favourite drink but a drink’s a drink. “I still think of you as a little boy.”

“Yeah?”

“Oh yeah. Five years old and non-stop talking about the new love of your life.”

“I wasn’t wrong.”

Went chuckled, “no you weren’t. I’m glad you have him.”

“Thanks. So am I.”

“I miss little Richie,” he laughed again and poured himself another drink. “He was so cute.”

“And I’m not cute now?”

“No.”

Richie laughed once, “rude.”

“You’ve become the man we raised you to be. That’s for sure,” he sighed. “Maybe a bit more than what we raised. Which is interesting.”

“What do you mean?”

“My father was a lot harsher than me. A real dick. Killing him was one of the best days of my life. He used to call me soft, did you know that? Doesn’t make much sense. Calling me soft because I didn’t enjoy gutting a person when I was seven. And who’s to say if he would have liked it, he didn’t start until twenty-five. But you,” Went sighed again, “you always loved it even as a baby. When you were young. ‘M not going to lie to you, Richard, it scared me to see you like that. And how you’ve grown up, turning into something almost worse than my old man.” 

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

Went shrugged, “and I don’t expect you to.”

“You going to turn me in?” Richie spat. “Because I like it a bit too much? I don’t think that would go over well for you or mom.” 

“I thought about it. A few times. Once, when you were about eight and you spent hours torturing a woman because she pinched Eddie's cheek. When you first defied me. When you broke Eddie’s arm. I saw something in your eyes that I had never seen before. Not in my father, myself, your mother or Eddie.” 

“Why are you telling me this?” 

“You’re a growing boy, are you not?”

Richie’s grip tightened on his empty glass. There were no sounds coming from the kitchen now, they were probably listening. Probably even watching from the door that Richie couldn’t see. “If you tried to,” Richie said calmly, “I’d kill you. I’m not leaving Eddie.” 

“I know. Even when you were a child, I knew that.”

“So what?” Richie asked sharply. Eddie came to stand beside Richie, Maggie hovering in between Richie and Went. Looking between the two of them. Eddie watched Richie. “Are you going to try and stop me now? Because I scare you? Because you couldn’t.”

“I want to apologise.”

Richie laughed, “for what?”

“Raising you like this. I thought it was normal but we fucked up. I fucked up. And I’m sorry that we brought Eddie into this. He could have been normal,” Went sighed. Eddie squeezed Richie’s shoulder. Went had no idea what he was talking about. He got another glass of scotch before continuing. “I’m sorry that you never had a chance to have a life that wasn’t filled with all of this. All three of you. And, because of that, as the head of the family, I’ve decided that we’re done.”

There was silence. None of them quite understanding what Went was saying to them. 

“And if I say no?” Richie asked.

“Then I turn us all in.” 

Before anyone could reply to that, Richie was across the room. Straddling his father in the chair with a knife pushed up against his neck. It wasn’t the first time that he had done it. But like the first, a rush of power came over him as he stared into his father’s eyes. He’d live in that feeling if he could. The feeling of dominance over someone who he wasn’t allowed to dominate. “I am not letting you stop me,” he hissed out after a moment of relishing. “I love my life.”

“Step back Richie.”

“No.”

This time Eddie didn’t speak up. This time Richie didn’t stop. 

When he stood up, drenched in blood, he was laughing. 

“Richie?” Maggie sobbed, her hands covering her mouth in disbelief. Richie flicked the knife, blood flying off it. She stared at him as if she wasn’t quite seeing him anymore. Eddie also stared at him, an unreadable look on his face. Which was almost scary, Richie was always able to read his husband’s face. Maggie sobbed again, snapping Richie’s attention back to her. “Why did you do that?”

“Do you love me?” Richie asked. She sobbed before nodding slowly. “I killed dad.”

“Why?”

“Had to. Wanted to.”

She lowered her shaking hands from her face. Eddie stayed silent. “What are you going to do?”

“You’re going to call Dad’s practise and say that you’re leaving indefinitely tomorrow. Spur of the moment decision. Then you're going to call all your friends and say the same thing. No more contact. After that, I’ll figure it out.” 

“Okay,” she nodded firmly before walking to the phone in the hallway. Richie could hear her calling Went’s partners and doing as Richie had told her to do. 

Eddie stared silently at Richie, not moving. Richie made the first move, as always, crossing the room to stand in front of Eddie, cupping his cheek in his bloodied hand. “Are you angry?”

“At you? Never.”

“My good boy.”

In the hallway, Maggie finished her rushed explanation before calling her best friend. Richie and Eddie listening in. The lie was simple, easy to believe and covered all his bases. No one would come looking for them. But Richie still needed to answer some questions in his own mind. The night wasn’t over yet. Richie rubbed his thumb in a circle under Eddie’s eye with a sigh, smearing blood across his pale skin. He loved that sight. Eddie covered in blood. There was something so beautiful in it. 

“I called.”

Richie didn’t take his eyes off Eddie as he stepped back. Eddie’s face still unreadable. “I hope they believed you.”

“Yes, they did,” she replied. 

"You know what I have to do?" Maggie nodded at the question. "Yet you called."

"You're my babies."

Richie flicked the knife out, Maggie whimpering at the sight. It was almost as pretty a sound as Eddie’s. At the movement, Eddie winced. Richie knew what that meant. 

“Mom,” Richie stepped back further, “give Eddie a hug.” 

Maggie did as she was told. Both of them hugging each other ferociously. They’d always been close. Even closer than Richie and her. Maggie wasn’t just a surrogate mother, she’d always been his real mom. Ever since Eddie had come over that first Friday over a decade ago. Eddie adored her, Richie knew that. Knew that he had winced at the thought of losing another parent. All four of them - even if he only ever really loved three - dead and gone.

He let them hug for a long time. Longer than he had anticipated. Because he loved them, his mom in some weird and twisted way now. Eddie in the purest way Richie could imagine love to be. 

He loved them. Maggie whispered something into Eddie’s ear as Richie went to pull them apart. What it was, Richie didn’t know, but Eddie nodded twice. Crying now, he smiled at her. And then he closed his eyes when Richie raised his arm. 

Eddie didn’t open his eyes until he was laying on their bed upstairs. When he did open them he wasn’t crying anymore. He also didn’t seem surprised that Richie was still holding the knife. 

“Do you love me, Eds?”

“As much as you love me.”

“Not possible,” Richie muttered. “Would you still love me if I slit your throat?”

“Forever, Rich.”

Richie put the knife down. He tugged at the bottom of Eddie’s shirt before kneeling up and taking his own shirt off. Like always, Eddie got the message and by the time Richie was naked, Eddie was too. Eddie wasn’t hard. Richie was. He picked up the knife again. 

“Lay still for me,” and then he started.

Eddie did lie still, whimpering a few times and gasping out in pain once or twice. But he stayed unmoving just as he was told to do. It didn’t take Richie long. Pulling back he smiled down at Eddie’s chest. It was bloody and hard to see but across his chest, cut deep enough to scar lay ‘RICHIE’S’. 

He still wasn’t hard but that didn’t matter. Richie was practically an expert at this now, years of experience. Within a few moments, he was fully inside Eddie, groaning deeply as Eddie whimpered in pain and then moaned. Richie tried his best not to hurt Eddie to bad when they were having sex - before and after, sure but during it, they were almost sweet - and that night was no different. Even if he was more worked up than he normally was. It didn’t take long at all. Both of them cumming, mixing with the blood that coated the both of them. 

Went’s, Maggie’s and Eddie’s. 

With a sick laugh, he cut his own wrist, letting his blood drop down and pool on Eddie’s chest. 

Then he collapsed next to his husband. Pulling him in so they could cuddle just like every other night of their lives. Previous and future. 

“Do you still love me?”

“As much as you love me, Richie, promise.”

“What did mom say to you?”

Eddie kissed Richie’s check. “She told me to be a good boy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :(


	25. Chapter 25

Their caps were tossed and then they were free. 

Richie dipped Eddie, kissing him soundly, as everyone else started hugging their families. No one was there for them. That didn’t matter, of course, seeing as they had each other. Eddie just giggled before reaching up and pulling Richie into a hug. “Thank you, Richie” he whispered. 

“You’re welcome, baby.” 

The Denbrough’s descended on them not long after that. Georgie hugging Eddie like his life depended on it. The Uris’ and then Hanscome’s and Beverly and then the Hanlon’s. Richie and Eddie being hugged and congratulated by all their friend’s parents. It was nice, Richie had to admit, to be included with all the Losers and their families. Not having Maggie and Went had graduation wasn’t his first choice. What happened happened but it still wasn’t what he or Eddie wanted. 

“Your parents couldn’t make it?” Mrs Denbrough asked.

“Nah, they’re living it up in France. No point coming back,” Richie shrugged. Everyone believed the lie they had told. Maggie and Went had decided to leave Derry and travel Europe now that Richie and Eddie were legally not theirs. They didn’t want contact with anyone as they were starting a new life. Who wouldn’t believe it? Especially when there was no reason to think otherwise. It was perfect. 

“Well, I’m sure they’re very proud of you.”

Eddie smiled at her, “they are.” 

“How sweet,” Ben’s mom smiled at them. “Are you all excited for your little trip?” 

Everyone confirmed that they were. All seven of them were going on a camping trip about an hour outside of Derry. All their parents had pitched in as a little present (aside from Bev’s and obviously Eddie’s but Richie had been happy to pay for them) and they were leaving tomorrow morning. It was only for three nights before they had to come back down, but it was something. But then everyone would be getting on flights within days of each other to go to LA where they’d then split amongst the different colleges. Or, in Richie’s and Eddie’s case, find a house and job and settle down. 

God, Richie couldn’t wait.

“I feel like I haven’t had any time with you.”

“That’s because I had to study. Not everyone can be naturally smart like you,” Eddie replied with a little smile. Richie kissed Eddie’s nose, his own smile on his face. He loved that boy so much it was borderline insane. They were laying in their bed together. Just relaxing before they’d need to go to sleep. It was always the highlight of Richie’s day. When they were alone and beside each other, nothing to worry or think about. 

They’d be going camping tomorrow. The whole house was packed up already, Eddie labelling every box perfectly. Most of it wasn’t going to California with them, a shit load of boxes were stashed in the basement which Richie had boarded up with a few locks. The new renters, which Richie had organised, wouldn’t be allowed down there. Partly because of their shit but also because of the fact that Maggie and Went were buried down there. No one needed to find that out. It was going to work out. Plus Richie and Eddie were going to get paid to not live in Derry anymore. 

“I am a genius and you’re-”

Eddie scoffed, “you’re just freaky good at remembering things.”

“-And you’re my dumb little house husband,” he continued as if Eddie hadn’t spoken. 

“That’s rude.”

“That’s the truth. I love my dumb little husband. And now that he isn’t studying for tests, I can actually spend time with him that doesn’t revolve around analysing texts.” 

“I’m all yours now.”

“Please, you’ve been all mine since the moment I saw you.”

“Fuck you, I was trying to be sweet.”

Richie kissed his nose again. The way he scrunched it up was just too cute. “You’re the sweetest boy I know. Taste and personality-wise.” 

“How many boys have you been tasting?”

“Fuck you, I was trying to be sweet.”

Eddie laughed, “you’re never sweet.”

“I’m always sweet! I made you pancakes this morning.”

“You’re a pretty good husband.” 

“Pretty good? I am the best husband out there.”

This time, Eddie kissed his nose. Fuck. Something so cute should not make Richie so hard but it very much did. “Yeah. You are.”

“Babe, if you don’t want to be fucking railed stop being so cute.”

“Do you have to be so vulgar?” 

“Yes. Get used to it.”

“I am,” Eddie muttered. “What do I have to do if I want to be, as you so lovingly put it, fucking railed.” 

Richie shrugged, “I don’t know, look at me?” Eddie looked up at him through his lashes. “I’m taking that as a yes. Let’s fucking go!”

“God, you’re the worst!” Eddie said, his smile trying to hide, but a moment later he was taking his shirt off before tugging at Richie’s. “Really. I don’t know why I put up with you. So disgusting, all the time! Maybe I should see if Bill is less vulgar in bed.”

“Shut up or I’m going to choke you,” Richie muttered and he climbed on top of Eddie. Part of him knew that Eddie was messing around, purposely winding him up so that he would be a little meaner during sex. But the other part was actually pissed. He didn’t want Eddie ever thinking of anyone else that way. Ever. Not their friends or his father. He was fully and wholly Richie’s. And he was fairly certain Eddie knew that as well. 

“What? Shut up about Bill? How he would act-” Eddie wasn’t able to finish his sentence but the little smile and smug look he had going on showed just how much he hadn’t wanted to finish anyway. 

“How many ba-bags did you b-bring?” 

“Eddie may be slightly less narcotic than his bio-momma but that does not mean he isn’t a little shit.”

“I was worried! We’re in the middle of nowhere.” 

“We are half an hour away from a city,” Beverly called back. “We’re probably closer to a city than when we’re in Derry.” 

Eddie stuck his tongue out at her, taking his backpack from Richie, “we’re camping. And now we’re safe if anything goes wrong. No need to thank me.” 

“We weren’t going to,” Stan replied. 

“See how you like it when you’re dying. I won’t help you, you’re on your own.”

“And I won’t help either,” Richie said, wrapping his arms around Eddie’s waist and bending down to rest his head on his shoulder. Pressing his chin into Eddie’s shoulder before kissing his cheek. “Because angry Eddie isn’t fun for me to deal with and won’t have sex. So you’re on your own.”

“Shit motive but that’s alright,” Eddie reached up to pat his head. When he did that now he had to stretch and Richie had to bend down slightly, Richie had just finished growing and clocked in at 6’2 where Eddie stood at 5’6. Very unfair according to Eddie, awesome according to Richie. Richie kissed his cheek again. “Fuck I am so glad that we’re finally here!”

Beverly attached herself to Eddie’s other side. Richie moved to incorporate her in the hug, he didn't mind the two of them hugging. Eddie and Bev. Aside from Georgie, she was the only person he didn’t immediately want to hurt when they touched Eddie. And Georgie was a pass because he was aggressively straight and also like five years younger than them. He wasn’t exactly threatened by the kid. 

“It’s amazing.” 

“I know,” Eddie smiled. “But we’ve got to promise we’ll stay in contact with each other after we leave.”

“Obviously,” Bill replied. 

“There goes my plan to abandon you all,” Stan said. “I was looking forward to it.”

Mike scoffed, “you love us.”

“I do?”

“Haha,” Richie pulled a face at Stan. “We should pitch the tents before it gets dark. My eyesight is bad enough as it is.”

They had three tents between the seven of them. No one wanted to share with Richie and Eddie, and no one had a tent big enough for five which meant Bev and Ben got their own, not that they were disappointed with that. It also left Mike, Bill and Stan to share which was always fun for Richie to watch. They pitched all three close by each other, practically touching each other. Sue them, they liked being close. It didn’t take long for them to finish, collapsing onto the picnic mat they’d placed in the middle of the area. 

As night fell the group split up. Richie going with Mike, Stan and Ben back down the campsite shop to get some food. Eddie staying with Bill and Bev at the campsite. After kissing him and making sure Eddie would be fine - he would be, he had said while rolling his eyes - they left. It was a five-minute walk down so within fifteen minutes they were already heading back to the others. 

“My mom’s been so upset the last few days,” Ben said. He kicked a rock, it almost hitting Stan. “Shit, sorry!”

“Why’s she upset?” Stan asked, before kicking the same rock off the path. 

“Keeps talking about how she’s going to miss me and stuff. It’s hard to listen to.”

Mike nodded, “I’ve got the same thing happening at home.”

“I think my dad is upset but he’s not said anything,” Stan said. “But my mom is constantly trying to spend time with me. It’s strange.”

“She acts like I’m never going to see her again. I mean, we have phones,” Ben replied. 

Stan turned to Richie, with those eyes that scared Richie. “What about your parents?” 

“They were the ones that fucked off to Europe.” 

“Didn’t they have something to say about you guys not going to school?” Mike asked.

“Not really. They were a bit worried that I wouldn’t be able to provide for Eds if I didn’t get a degree but they don’t care anymore. We don’t exactly have a normal relationship.”

Ben laughed, “no I guess you don’t. It always amazed me how much they let you get away with.” 

“Yeah,” Richie chuckled. “They did let us get away with a lot. But I was raised to be independent. It’s different from other people. That’s why they don’t care, just so long as we’re happy.”

“I’m sure they’re proud,” Stan replied. 

Richie shrugged, “I know my mom is really proud of Eddie.” 

“Not you?”

“Different blokes, different strokes.”

The four of them got to the clearing as Richie spoke. The three that had stayed were sitting on the floor in a tight little huddle. As soon as they heard the others come in they stopped speaking, their gazes going to them. Richie frowned at the weird looks on Bev and Bill’s faces. Something was up there. Eddie jumped up, moving over to Richie as soon as he saw him. That wasn’t weird, that was completely normal. 

“Hi.”

“Hello. We got noodles.”

“Thank god,” Bev sighed. “I’m starving.”

Richie threw the bag over to her, Bev catching it easily. “Get cooking then, woman.”

“You’re hilarious, Richard. Anyone ever told you that you should go into comedy?” 

“Strike me thru the heart,” Richie gasped in some kind of southern accent. “What slander against my good name,” he threw his hand over his heart to add to the performance. Eddie giggled slightly but when Richie looked down he put on a face of indifference. He was shit at hiding his feelings. And he was aware that Richie knew exactly what he was feeling. It was cute that he still tried to. “Come on, Eddie baby. I want to show you what I bought you.”

The two of them went into their tent. Outside, the others were moving away from the tents and towards the BBQ Mike had brought up. If they spoke quietly then they wouldn’t be able to hear the conversation. Eddie held his hand out expectantly, Richie placed the lollipop he had bought in it. “Thank you, Rich,” he said as he started opening it. God, he was so fucking cute. 

“What were you and the double B’s talking about?” Richie asked, laying down on the lacklustre mattress. “Before we got back.”

“If I said none of your business?” 

“I’d put you over my knee,” Richie replied in seriousness. Eddie sighed, moving to sit down beside Richie. “Come on baby. Spill.”

“They were worried, that’s all.”

Richie sighed, trying not to let the anger well up. “This again?” 

“No. They were just,” Eddie hesitated. “Worried that I was following you, not deciding my own future. That kind of thing.”

“Why?” 

“I am.”

“Sure, but why does it worry them.”

Eddie shrugged, “it’s normally not a good thing. I think they forget sometimes that we’re not a normal couple. I’d be concerned if I thought Bev was throwing her future away for Ben. It’s nothing you need to be worried about. Promise.”

“So do you think you’re throwing your future away?”

“Of course not, and I told them that. Rich, come on, we’ve been married for almost a decade I’m pretty sure my future is with you.”

“I thought so too.”

“Don’t be mad, please.” 

Richie closed his eyes, “I’m not mad at you. It’s frustrating.”

“They love me. They want what’s best for me and it scares them that what’s best for me isn’t what’s normally best for someone my age.”

“I love you.”

“And I love you,” Eddie replied. Opening his eyes again, he was met with the sight of Eddie smiling down at him. “You know I do.” 

Humming, Richie pushed himself up so they were sitting beside each other. “Would you do anything for me?”

“You know I would.”

“If I told you to go out there and shoot every one of our friends for interfering would you?” 

There was no hesitation when Eddie replied, “I would.”

“I believe you. I do.” 

“I’d do anything for you and I know you’d do anything for me.”

“I would.”

Eddie sighed, “I promise Richie. There’s nothing that could separate us.”

There was a nagging at the back of Richie’s mind. “Does that make you happy?” 

“What?” That seemed to stump Eddie. “That we’re together? Of course, I am.”

“That we’re always going to be together? What happens if we get to LA and suddenly there’s a whole host of gay men vying for your attention. I don’t have competition here. I will there.”

Eddie laughed, “that’s the funniest thing you have ever said to me. Jesus, Richie, I’m not with you because you’re the only gay boy in Derry, which you’re not, I’m with you because I love you.”

“You’re with me because I told you to be.” 

“Because we love each other. I could have told someone what was happening. Rich, I could have gone to the police and had all three of you put away if I wanted to. I could have told my mother what was happening. It would have been easy. But I love you and I loved mom and dad and our life.”

“You could have told someone,” Richie laughed once. “You really could have.”

“So don’t be mad. Bev and Bill have no idea.” 

Richie sighed, knocking their shoulders together. “And if I told you to kill them now, after this conversation?” 

“I’d do it.”

“If they ever try and get in between us,” Richie warned. “Any of them, I’d do it.”

Eddie reached over to kiss Richie deeply. “And I would be right beside you. Like I’ve been my whole life. Jesus, you sound very worried for someone who killed my parents in front of me.” 

“You killed your mom. Don’t get it twisted.”

“Please,” Eddie scoffed. 

“Come on, Eds, let’s go and have dinner. I guess it’s a good thing I didn’t bring a gun with me.”

“I was wondering if you did.”

The two of them got up and walked out of the tent. To see Stan standing right fucking there.

They were silent. All three of them. Stan watching them, with those fucking eyes. Eddie’s hand tightened over Richie’s, and Richie almost wished that he had brought his gun. This was not ideal. This was possibly the worst thing that could have happened. He was going to have to kill Stan and he really didn’t want to. He didn’t want to kill any of his friends.

Stan sighed. It wasn’t, to Richie’s surprise, resigned or angry. More frustrated than anything else. Why would he be frustrated after learning that his friends had killed, would kill? 

He simply stared at Richie, his face calm among the chaotic thoughts that were plaguing Richie’s head. That would be plaguing Eddie as well. He’d always seen more than the others. Stan knew and he didn’t care. 

So Richie stared back, his arm around Eddie like it always had been and always would be. 

And then Richie laughed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And it's over! Crazy!
> 
> Firstly, thank you to everyone who read this! Big thank you to everyone who left kudos and comments. Even if you hate-read this, I thank you because I thrive of hits. 
> 
> Also; originally I was going to have Bev and Bill die. Like, fully be killed by Eddie. Then I decided you know what, some people like happy endings. You can decide what happens next. Nothing? Does Richie kill Stan? Do all their friends die? Does Richie kill Eddie? I have my idea but decided to leave it open.
> 
> (If you're unaware of the drama surrounding this fic you might not know that I have a [tumblr post](https://reddiefic-anon12.tumblr.com/post/619940869017124865/tw-for-sexual-assault-csa-rape-incest-and) where I posted my thoughts on this fic, if you want to have a look. Ignore the drama aspect, this post is just my thoughts on why I wrote this like it is.) 
> 
> Again, a huge thank you to everyone!


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